On Friday, 9 October 2020 we had a Beef Fancy & Plain feast in the backyard of Lance and Lynda Hylander. There were 8 diners, of which the 6 men stayed outdoors but the two women went indoors when it got too cool for them. We were dining outdoors to limit the risk of Covid19.
This whole event came about through seven different kinds of luck, starting with the improbability of the celebrated Tuscan Chianina cattle now being raised by an enterprising rancher in El Paso; see the TuscanCattle link below. On top of that, we had friends with a roomy backyard, perfect weather, (mostly) great wines from the cellar, a truly skilled grillmaster, and best of all, great dining companions!
Here's what we had:
- The Insalata Caprese
- A riff on Tournedos Rossini - Strips of baguette sauteed in butter, drizzled with Sauce Madere, with sliced USDA Choice steak sauteed in butter, and with sauteed foie gras.
A variant of Bistecca alla Fiorentina - This was the long-anticipated Chianina beef sirloin, expertly grilled by Mark H. See https://tuscancattle.com/ 
Fagioli all'Uccelletto - the beans with sage- Lynda's Blueberry Slump, with wild Maine blueberries
- Deb's Peach Pie
- An assortment of fine Italian cheeses: Fontina, Robiola due Latte, Taleggio, and Gorgonzola