08.26.06 istanbul is constantinople

We had this great idea to invite some friends over and grill kebobs over an open fire in our backyard. And actually, grilling the kebobs was really beside the point, because what we were really after was an excuse to skewer some fresh pineapple, lightly coat it in a sauce of sugar and vanilla and lime, roast it over open coals until the sauce caramelized, and then serve it over homemade vanilla ice cream. That's how this whole thing started.

With a bit of imagination and creative use of stuff around the house, we managed to transform the patio into a Turkish Bazaar, complete with communal firepit. Dinner consisted of skewers of marinated beef, chicken, and vegetables that everyone roasted together over the firepit, then emptied into a large bowl of couscous seasoned with saffron and other spices. We passed the bowl around for everyone to serve themselves, using pieces of naan to scoop. And of course, dessert was the glorious pineapple skewers (and they were indeed glorious) that started this whole thing. Our guests even went home with little jewel boxes of Turkish Delight.

The end result? An Amazing Fantastic Terrifically Fabulous Party of Mindblowing Awesome.