Sunday, December 25, 2005

Food: Holidays: Christmas Dinner

Actually able to pre-post about the meal we'll be putting on tonight, which means I've an opportunity to let you in on one of the dirtier secrets here at Consumptive HQ. Many of the photos of dishes which have shown up here over the months are actually shot the day after they have been served. Leftovers, alas.

This has everything to do with my uncanny ability to underestimate just how much time will be required to pull off a five course meal for eight, or a four course meal for sixteen. Pre-posting though means that we've been cooking off and on for three days, and even now my wife is removing brussel sprouts from a stalk.

Here's the menu:

· Lilet with Key Lime Twist
· Local lettuces with pomegranate (seeds & vinaigrette) and a single walnut
· Spicy tamales of Moscovy Mallard served with a Cilantro sauce
· Roast Beast et al. - Goose, Stuffing, Brussel Sprouts, and Roast Fennel.
· Four cookies for your delectation
· Buche du Noel with Meringue Mushrooms, a la Jacques Pepin

With the house being new to us, and our not knowing exactly where we'll be putting everyone or what they'll be sitting on, my comfort level is not crushingly high. but we're t-minus six hours from having to throw down. So now, we wait.

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