Goodbye 2010

2010 was sent away in a warm, pleasant and effortlessly floating evening around the fireplace. The evening comprised of a series of food savouring that started at 7:00 pm 2010 and stopped at 1:00 am 2011. The theme was somerville hearth - initiating an experiment of using the fireplace to grill food, starting with chestnuts.

 

Platters of international hors d'oeuvres kept floating till around 10 pm, including:

• Deviled eggs with shredded carrots and cwikla (beets with horseradish)
• Mini European weniers grilled in the fireplace and served with German mustard and swiss cheese
• Leaks and oriental noodles fried dumplings with chili relish and pickled green beans
• Hawaiian pizza bites with marinated artichokes

 

Cleansing the palates by a lovely simple salad bursting with different flavours: greens, blue cheese, pecans and home made poached anjou pears in marsala with the sauce used in the vinaigrette.

At 11:00 pm, the feast was served in artisan Iranian hand engraved white brass platters, brought directly from the Great Imam Bazaar in Shiraz - Leg of Lamb with rosemary prune sauce, creamed spinach, roasted potatoes and cauliflower/broccoli in white cheese sauce.

Midnight fireworks drew us out into the neighbourhood wishing neighbours happy new year to return and warm up with a tray of home baked goods and a platter of "Eish El Sarayah" (Bread of the royalties) - bread soaked with sugar syrup covered with cream and pistachios.

 

Happy New Year! Hello 2011...