Another amazingly full buffet table, I might add. We had a few less people than we had really expected but we did run through some of the big dishes. The orphan food was rather minimal (and trust me, Keifel and I really wanted there to be leftover paté). Everything turned out exactly as I had imagined and wanted. That always makes me feel wonderful, and we all know that that’s why people (okay, me) become chefs. It’s all about the mmmm factor and the validation.
We followed the menu as planned for the most part. Though I jimmied and tweaked based on time constraints and budgetary considerations, also on having forgotten a couple things in the transit from point A (my teeny kitchen) to point B (J&J’s lovely abode). The champagne flowed though we did manage to get through fewer bottles this year. We held a ballot competition to get everyone involved with fabulous non-cash prizes for the guest with the most right guesses and the guest with the least right guesses. The most winner received a choice of two wines from the cellars of J&J and the least winner received a DVD our choice (the name of the movie will be reserved to protect the not so innocent parties that chewed up the scenery).
A cheese tray with a snaking line of fig salami
Chicken liver and proscuitto paté with pistachios (yum)
My favorite picture of the night: bagna cauda with veg
A little smoky fish with accompaniment
A big smoky fish with accompaniment
Whitefish caviar on blini
Salad cups on J’s lovely basket weave platter
The big buffet in situ
The desserts. The thing you can’t see here is the people in room cheering the brownies and trying to steal them on the way to the table.
All in all I was pleased. Imagine me, Ms. Super Self-critical, saying I’m pleased, could be a breakthrough.
You have me craving the fig salami. That sounds so incredible.