Best meal of the year! (ever?!)

What an amazing time I had last week for my 40th birthday! It started on Wednesday with an incredible show by Mumford and Sons at Red Rocks. Then surprise skydiving with my wife on my birthday (still not quite over that one). And it finished off on Friday with the best meal I've had this year!!! In fact, it's in the top 5 of meals I've EVER had. No BS. Seriously great food by two of my favorite people, Eric Chiappetta and Jamie Gulick. They are professionally trained chefs and own Chia's Breakfast and Lunch Counter in Golden (sandwiches done right!). This was one of those meals that I couldn't stop talking about while I was eating it and haven't been able to get out of my head since I left. THANK YOU, Eric and Jamie!!!! Alright, enough talking, let's get into it...

The People...

Me and my beautiful wife, Tanette

Darcy and Shannon (the other half of Grubology)

Me with Jamie and Eric

Me and Shannon getting our fill of fresh sage and thyme from Jamie's parent's garden

(Their garden is a consistent presence in this meal. Thanks Sally and Rick!)

Love this picture!

You talkin to me?!

Jamie being all cute and stuff

Eric (Gallo Negro)!

The Food...

Wine anyone?

Antipasti

Bruschetta, Caprese, Beef Carpaccio

(The Heirloom tomatoes were from Jamie's parent's garden. Out of this world.

I've NEVER had bruschetta this good.)

Butternut Squash soup with fried sage, goat cheese and olive oil

Panzanella bread salad

Risotto with rock shrimp, preserved lemons and chili oil

(This was the shocker of the meal for me. Looked like a light dish. BLEW MY HEAD OFF with flavor. Haven't stopped thinking about this since the meal.)

Sweet potato ravioli, homemade fennel sausage, sage brown butter, AND... wait for it...

chipotle honey (which brought the whole dish together)

Veal Saltimbocca, angel hair pasta, roasted spaghetti squash, Gorgonzola creme

(SERIOUSLY?!?! I've got a tear in my eye writing this. Oh man.)

Chicken Cacciatore and fettucine

(hungry yet?!)

Homemade freaking Limoncello!!!!!!

(Trust me, there wasn't much left.)

Braised beef, mushrooms, tagliatelle, rapini, garlic, chili flake,

roasted new potatoes, rosemary

(Shannon and I were the only ones who could dig into this one.)

To finish off one of the best meals I've ever had, Tanette made some of her cake balls. SOOOOO good.

Thanks to Jamie, Eric, my wife, Shannon and Darcy for this wonderful celebration! I'm truly blessed.