The Ranger said:[posted to ac-c, too]
What foods did everyone end up noshing on to ring in the New Year?
Clan Ranger broke with a five-generation tradition of fresh-baked
cornbread spears and black-eyed peas. Instead, we put out apple and
pear slices, carrot and celery sticks, sesame toaster sticks, and
five humus spreads (olive, caper, garlic, roasted garlic*, and
eggplant). The Perpetual 20-yo also stopped by with a couple
samples of tobiko (flying fish roe) and caviar. (I'm not sure my
palate's willing to adjust to Beluga; I much preferred the
snap-crackle-pop of the tobiko.)
The adults enjoyed multiple bottles of Gloria Ferrer Brut NV while
the kid-crowd enjoyed the free-flowing Martinelli's Sparkling Apple
Cider.
All-in-all, a worthy break from tradition.
The Ranger
* Who knew this single spread would be the kid-crowd favorite! I
don't think one adult was able to get near it after Daughter-unit
Beta's exclaimed announcement on how "simply scrum-edible-ishush"
it was with the Fuji apples.
Once more, Happy New Year. My New Year's Eve was very nice. Marcel
and I went to the party, the same one we have attended for many years,
getting there shortly after eight. We were fourteen people.
For a cold appetizer, there was a very large platter with steamed
shrimp with cocktail sauce. I do not eat shrimp, but from the way
the others wolfed them down, they must have been delicious. There was
also Guacamole with chips, the dip was made and brought by one of the
guests, the chips were bought.
For hot appetizers, there were wonderful cheese balls, which were made
by pouring a tangy cheese mixture, made of four cheeses and mixed with
spices and butter and eggs, over large cubes of white bread and then
baked.
There were also hot mushroom thingies and the traditional mini franks
rolled in dough and baked. They were the ones that disappeared the
quickest. :o)
Dinner was wonderful. The appetizer was a nicely spiced crepe filled
with cheese, topped with tomato sauce and more cheese on top and
baked. That course was served to the guests, while the main course
was presented buffet style in the kitchen. Esther had made a
wonderful roasted veal and an even better Coq Au Vin. There was a
white and wild rice dish, which was different, because the white rice
was first sautéed, as in fried rice, which gave it a different texture
and taste. There was also a spinach soufflé that was great.
For dessert, there was a Hazelnut Dacquoise (sp?), which one of the
guests makes every year for the party. It is simply too good to try
and explain. Sometimes she makes it of chocolate, but this year one
of the guests is allergic to chocolate. Esther had made a Plum Cake
during the Summer and frozen it for last night's dinner. That was the
"plain" dessert. For the piece de resistance, Esther had "constructed
a huge ice cream cake. Again, there is no way to tell you how good it
was. It had several flavors of ice cream, the sweetness offset with
sour cherries. There were nuts and other goodies in it, too and the
whole cake was enrobed in Whipped Cream.
Wine and other drinks abounded.
For toasting in the New Year, there was Champagne, which neither
Marcel nor I drink, but everybody else enjoyed.
Esther will be happy to supply me with any recipe one of you may want.
