Dec. 4, 2010: Lucy's and Jason's Third Annual Holiday Get Together

For a third time, our little get together was a success. The menu went through several changes, over the month leading to our dinner. Every single time we had a conversation, we made a change... crazy. But eventually, time for changes was over... and we hoped we had a winning combination. Sadly our party for 12 turned into a party for 9... we hope a pair that couldn't make it this year will join us in two years... lol... if we can tempt them :)

So let's move to the important stuff... the food...

This year Jay actually presented us with a little snack for our pre-dinner cocktails, so we're not all stumbling to the table... he can mix a mean martini... we enjoyed an assortment of flat breads with edamame hummus.... it was delicious...
and huge hugs and thanks to KINGA, MAGDA and PATRICK, and ADRIAN and SARA... you guys made my night... I'm sipping a Chambord cosmo as I'm typing this up :)... it is as delicious as described
but I did share, and whipped up the Food and Drink cocktail that prompted a Chambord craving in the first place... we all enjoyed it...
here is our sourced out furniture table... glasses don't match.. but that's our quirky side... for now :) snowman ginger cookies mark the seating arrangement... my spot had no cookie (I can't eat it)..
we drank Ontario vintages... delish... but can't wait to try Sara's presents, I don't believe I've ever given Portugal wines a fair chance... will blog as we enjoy them...
and now appetizers...
eight of the group enjoyed a grilled sweet potato, grilled scallop, and shrimp, topped with truffles and enoki mushrooms in what I heard was an incredible mushroom consomme...
I had my own vegan version... it was more of a mushroom soup... and it was incredible...
Mains:
Six of our party enjoyed a beef tenderloin topped with Jay's own Bearnaise sauce, on top of sauteed kale, on top of a crab cake (the crab cake almost made me wish I wasn't a vegan it was crab with some potato, not potato with some crab, but I persevered) , surrounded by a red wine jus... I heard no complaints ;)
Kinga and Magda enjoyed the same except their beef tenderloin was replaced with halibut...
and for moi Jay created a Yukon and Sweet potato rosti, topped with the same kale, and surrounded by mushrooms that I sauteed myself... as you can see I also plated my meal... so kind of messy, but still delicious...
eventually I baked our dessert...
Eight had white wine and spice poached pears, baked in puff pastry... served with reduced poaching liquid and whipped cream
except for the puff pastry and whipped cream, I enjoyed the same... and it was yummy...
then we wrapped up our night, with more wine, more beer, some port, and a cheese board...
it was a very, very lovely evening... thank you all for joining us... Hope everyone's Holiday Season is supper awesome...