277164 Tue Mar 22 18:44:50 -0800 2005 4 31 Home Cooking 0 1463956 for a friend's 40th birthday, we are going to make the place look like a midsummer's night dream- twinkling lights on the ceiling covered with gauzy material, huge sprays of cherry blossoms, I have several floor to ceiling oleander plants with lights to be put in the room, a table centerpiece with moss, orchids, small candles- silly, fun, mischievous- fairy wings to be passed out as people come in. 12 people.   I need help with the menu!! the party is on april 2nd. I want sensual, delicious food. the only request the birthday woman has is that she wants short ribs. (I thought maybe as an app.?) I don't really want to go elizabethan (shepards pie doesn't feel elegant enough). I do have one non-meat eater, but I feel like I could always grill a slice of salmon quickly if necessary- the guest of honor is a beef lover (thus the short rib request- but that feels like a middle of the winter, comfort food).   the other thing is, champagne will be served throughout. I'll break out some red wine for the main course - maybe- but champagne is her favorite.   help!! Tue Mar 22 18:44:50 -0800 2005 0 Sara 1 1463963 Why not spin off from the names of Titania's fairies in the play - off the top of my head, you've got mustardseed - maybe some sort of salmon crusted with mustardseeds. I think one of them is Cobweb - you could do some sort of dessert with a sugar "web" cup... Tue Mar 22 19:59:53 -0800 2005 1463956 0 Amy 2 1463974 Or for "Puck", you can have a puckery tart (perhaps lime topped with a candied lime slice). Wed Mar 23 00:00:59 -0800 2005 1463963 0 Curtis 1 1463977 I don't have any sort of recipe, but I once made chicken with a glaze of honey, butter, lavendar and orange zest, and it was fabulous and sort of fey. Maybe also a salad with edible flowers? Wed Mar 23 02:10:27 -0800 2005 1463956 0 Autumn 1 1464008 Midsummer's Night's Dream is set in Athens so you could go with Greek food too. Thanks to the great advice of chowhound's, I made my first Croque En Bouche. It's very whimsical with with caramel sauce and the cream puffs. Wed Mar 23 11:33:58 -0800 2005 1463956 0 verucaamish