We had a friend over for dinner last night. Apps were escargots with crusty baguette & marinated baby artichokes (pretty bland). Delicious Calvados 75s to go with.
What you see next to the flute is a marzipan pumpkin from a patisserie in my hometown, where our guest runs an academic program, and which he hand-picked for me for its mischievous smirk 
The main attraction was cedar plank Norwegian salmon slathered with Penzey’s Foxpointe seasoning,
fennel gratin with tarragon cream, parm and panko,
and gem lettuces with flavor bomb tomatoes, walnuts & walnut vinaigrette. The salmon was perfectly cooked (i.e. not incinerated as happened to the poor char during our recent fish grilling adventure) – and it had a pronounced smoky flavor from the cedar plank. I’d made a horseradish dill sauce to go with, but I don’t think it was needed.
Our guest brought an apple-walnut tart for dessert that needed to be finished in our oven. The dough never really cooked through, so we just ate the custard filling 
