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A Five-Course Dinner


by chestnuttiger787

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It is easy, in these busy, fast-paced modern times, to simply feed our pets the latest free slice of omelette and hurry off to do our dailies, play our games, restock, etcetera etcetera. But your pets and you, yourself, are missing out on one of the most wonderful aspects of Neopia--fine dining.

Admittedly, Neopian food has its grosser aspects. But one who has never tasted a truly delectable Neopian meal is missing out on so much! The splendor of a gourmet meal is not to be missed. You could travel Neopia day in and day out and never get tired of the fabulous selection of food available in every corner of this world. And that's not even mentioning Kreludor. And yet, people don't, and remain insensitive to the fine food outside their very doorstep. This being so, I have decided to lay out a full meal plan for a true Neopian five-course dinner of only the finest foods. Of course, only the loveliest, rarest, and most expensive dishes--gourmet, by all means--have made it onto this high-end menu. Therefore, for each item, I have added a budgeted option so that you may enjoy such fine dining without straining your purse. Without further ado, here is your five-course dinner menu.

Palette Cleansers: In between course, you'll need something to remove the aftertastes of each dish. Therefore, a palette cleanser will be placed beside each plate. Traditionally, the palette cleanser would be something along the lines of a citrus sorbet, but for a twist on this tradition, we will be using tea--Lavender Mint Tea, to be specific. With a light, pleasant taste and no pungent aftertaste, it provides the perfect transition between courses. For a budget option, try simple Mint Tea, which you can serve iced, if preferred.

1st Course: Soup

Dish: Cauliflower Soup

With elegant, smooth overtones of cauliflower and fine cheese, and a slight-but-present earthy undertone reminiscent of the rustic Meridellian farms where the vegetables were grown, this soup is to die for. It is both light and substantial, creamy and flavorful, with just the right amount of succulently cooked cauliflower resting in the broth. With each spoonful you get a different dynamic of this sensational soup. And what could be a better budget option than the very economically priced knock-off, Chunky Cauliflower Soup?

2nd Course: Salad

Dish: Fern Salad with Meriberry Dressing

Many fellow gourmets may shun the elegant Fern Salad, but they have not tasted it, you see. One bite of even a dressing-less leaf of this salad and you'll never shun it again, I can assure you. The ferns, you see, are not merely ferns (which, I might add, are highly tasty even when they are ordinary), but the most delectable ferns grown in Neopia. They are not grown on farms, but in greenhouses, each leaf monitored closely by scientists and given flavor injections so that one easy-to-eat mouthful of this elegant treat tastes like you just swallowed a large forkful of a complex salad masterpiece! Coupled with the smooth and succulent Meriberry Dressing, it is a dish fit for Kings and (what is saying more) Queens everywhere! If you're looking for a budget option, try Fresh Green Salad or Mixed Greens Salad with Bluecheese Dressing.

3rd Course: Starch

Dish: Meridellian Style Mashed Potatoes

One would not normally expect to find elegance among the countless pleasurable things to be found in Meridell, and one would certainly not expect to find it in a plate stacked with a mound of potatoes drenched with gravy and speared with a seeming trinket of a Meridellian flag. And one would be entirely wrong in their assumption. For starters, the Meridellian flag is no trinket, and is fashioned of wrought gold, the flag itself being pure, shining silk. But the dish itself is no less than a masterpiece! Smooth, buttery mashed potatoes flavored with the brightest and boldest variety of herbs Neopia has to offer--that's what this dish is. The gravy is the highest of its kind as well, rich and flavorful, and what's more, there's plenty of it! This dish comes coupled with a raw leaf of ultra-fresh, crispy lettuce for contrast and three small slivers of smoky Meridellian sausage--marvelous! Budgeting Neopians might do well to serve Potatoes and Gravy as the starch aspect of their meal.

4th Course: The One You've All Been Waiting For: The Entree

Dish: Beef Wellington

For the meat section of your meal, one can not disappoint! It is perhaps the most crucial aspect of your meal! So be prepared for it. Your dish cannot disappoint, and if you serve the savory splendor that is Beef Wellington, it will never. The dish speaks for itself. It is a rarity, a wonder! This is no slab of thin, slightly-burnt grilled steak, no slow-cooked, tender, slightly-flavorless pot roast, this is dining! But there are budget options that will not disappoint either, and the marvelous Steak Platter will serve your pets well if you would rather not break the bank. Be sure to allow your pets the proper time to digest this rare delight before bringing out dessert!

5th Course: Dessert

Dish: Pear and Suet Pudding, Borovan Layered Cake, Caramel Cream Puff(s)

For this dessert, you can roll out a whole dessert cart for your pets to choose from! The centerpiece is the delectable and sophisticated Borovan Layered Cake, decorated to a tea. Scattered all around it one can arrange basketfuls of Caramel Cream Puffs (if money is not an issue), and, at the very edges, platefuls of Pear and Suet Pudding, one for each pet. If, however, money is an issue, substitute Grey Layer Cake, Lutango Layer Cake, or Layered Cybunny Cake for the Borovan Layered Cake. Substitute Strawberry Cream Puffs, Chocolate Cream Puffs, or Vanilaa Cream Puffs for the Caramel Cream Puffs. Finally, instead of the Pear and Suet Pudding, serve Almond Pudding. And there you have it--a wonderful, elaborate dessert.

If you're still taking notes, you can stop now. The five course meal is over. You can choose your own beverages, and appetizers beforehand and candy afterwards are optional, and up to your own taste. I hope your culinary taste broadens and that you continue to eat fine foods after your fine dining experience!

 
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