Tonight we had another Venetian-inspired dinner, this one with Laura and Michael.  First course was the Pasta with Maitake Mushrooms of a few weeks ago, and the main dish required some invention with the shrimp we had in the freezer — Royal Red Shrimp from Whole Foods — a tender and flavorful crustacean if there ever was one.  In keeping with the theme of the region, the key spice was a light touch of curry powder and ground coriander, enhanced by my two favorite secret spices: Maras Pepper, and freshly ground Dried Lemon.  Laura made the Zucchini in Umido, which complemented the shrimp perfectly, and Barbara contributed fresh strawberries and homemade cookies for dessert.

My apologies, though; there were no pictures — too busy eating.  Maybe next time.