Today's my 59th birthday, and because of the pandemic I wasn't about to dine out. Takeout lacked a certain appeal.

Nothing for it! I cooked dinner for myself, and I think the plating was a neat and artistic touch!

Arrayed on the plate are slices of a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin that was cooked sous vide, served on a sauce made from the bacon drippings, the juices from the cooking bag, and some Marsala sweet dessert wine; two wedges of cornbread made from a standard recipe but with green onion, jalapeno and Cheddar cheese added; and baby carrots that were cooked sous vide in honey butter and served on mango butter. The wine is a 1985 Ausbruch (late-harvest white) from the Somlo region of Hungary, and came from my private stock.

Dessert will be a chocolate Guinness cake with chocolate-whiskey glaze, similar to the one I made back on St. Patrick's Day.

I won't leave you all hanging; photos of each dish and recipes (apart from the mango butter, which I've already posted) will be posted up here tomorrow, along with verdicts on how each turned out.