Tour de Branch - Over the top!

We knew we were in for a treat at Tour de Branch but Ron surpassed our expectations and then some. So in case you don't know him by reputation, Ron Branch is an incredibly gifted architect friend who was instrumental in helping me decide to finally renovate my kitchen. Not only did he provide great ideas and resources, he helped me find my contractor. He's also an almost famous chef who loves to cook, and he does an incredible job! We were so pumped for dinner, we showed up EARLY, something unheard of on tdk! Here's what we encountered...

Upon arrival, we were treated to our first incredible course of the evening: a basil cheesecake appetizer drizzled in olive oil and served with crackers. I'm sure the crackers were good, but in reality they simply served as something to smother this to-die-for app on. They could've been made out of drywall and I would have still eaten them all! This app was AWESOME!! I was tempted to ask for the recipe but when Ron mentioned it took over two hours to make, I decided to just enjoy another bite and move on.

As we were enjoying this tasty treat, Ron was telling us stories about his house and all the work he had done to it. Are you familiar with extreme home makeover? It sounded very similar except Ty and friends weren't swooping in to help him with this one. It was all Ron (and a few friends for backup). Here the chef prepping our crusty bread!

Next up was this nicely paired grapefruit and avocado salad topped with a homemade vinaigrette. Weird combo, but really good. Our main course was london broil topped with a balsamic, chili and honey glaze served with a side of linguine in a homemade sundried tomato pesto. Unfortunately I was so excited about eating it, I forgot to take a picture other than this one of our decked out table.

Not to be outdone by all of the homemade desserts we've been served throughout tdk (and why my jeans fit a little tighter now than they did when we started this thing), Ron cooked up these lemon shortbread cookies and drizzled them in chocolate. He served this homemade chocolate holder with vanilla ice cream and a fresh fruit and berry compote. Really?? Need I say more?

So while the night included some incredible dining, the true highlight was hearing Ron's stories of the cougar in his life, sweet Edie. Now, there isn't enough time to tell it all here but just don't be surprised if you see Ron lounging by your neighborhood pool with his older lady friend.

Now I'm not saying tdk has found its winner, but I think the final four is crystallizing. Stay tuned!