Thursday, December 30, 2010

New Beginnings

The new year is upon us, and it's time for some "lean cuisine". There was some serious overindulgence going on here, commencing with a Christmas dinner that began with a platter of assorted cheeses accompanied by a fig "salami" and pumpkin-spiced nuts. At table, the first course was a salad of mixed baby greens and fuyu persimmons, folowed by lobster and shrimp in madeira sauce. I served this over rice, accompanied by snow peas with water chestnuts. Dessert was a rich but refreshing frozen gran marnier torte in a chocolate crust, topped with glazed and spiced cranberries over which I shaved white chocolate. Gorgeous to look at and seductively delicious. The next night was laid back - we ate the seafood in its sauce over pasta, with a big green salad, crunchy with fennel.

And, there were the cookies - walnut dreams, the layered bars glazed with confectioners sugar; pecan balls, pumpkin cookies, mocha-walnut balls, almond biscotti - the list goes on.So, tomorrow brings simply prepared salmon, lots of fresh veggies and fruits and big salads. Happy New Year to all.