Final (?) Menu

The following is close to the final menu, annotated with who is making what. Let's all hope that Stevie can make it here on Wednesday.

Appetizers

• House smoked salmon - we'll do a whole salmon this year (MSM)



• House cured, smoked, baked and steamed Pastrami (MSM), with Zingerman's breads and several mustards. New for this year.





Eve's Cheese. Stinky, runny ones only.




Pizzette's. Expect one aimed at you anchovy lovers at there. Plus whatever else we typically make. (RAM? MSM? any volunteers?)




Homemade beer to accompany the pizzettes: Scottish Ale, Belgium White, Hop-to-it (a very hoppy American Pale Ale), and Oatmeal Stout. (MSM)



Chinese spoons with Fried Oysters, Sweet & Sour Pickles & Curry Mayonnaise (pg. 31) (SH)

• Ojingo Soondae (replaces the Roulade of Prosciutto, Foie Gras & Figs). [ES & MS] This is squid filled with sausage

Sitdown

First Courses

• Lobster with Bouillabaisse Aspic (pg. 92) [SMM]


• Venison Chop with Sauce Poivrade (pg. 231) [DHG/JG]



• Dry-Cured Tuna with Spicy Mustard Vinaigrette (pg. 41) [CE]



• Asparagus Flan with Morel Mushrooms & Oyster Sauce (pg. 79) [Miles - Sam's friend]

Second Courses

• Pike Quenelles with Black Truffles & Lettuce (pg 99). This is just a fancy Gelfite Fish! [ Any takers?]




• Prime Rib [MSM] (this replaced the horseradish encrusted beef tenderloin, which was successfully made last week but deemed unexciting].
  
  
  

Desserts

• Fig & Goat Cheese Tart with Huckleberry Ice Cream (pg. 267) [CE]



• Cherry Vanilla Brioche Pudding with Maple-Star Anise Ice Cream (pg. 271) [SG]



• An Emont Creation: Hazelnut Torte with Praline Cream and Chocolate Ice Cream

• Tarte Tatin [SH] . Let's just say that I had several great pictures of what to put here... but decided they were too crass and kept it straight.

Even more food!

Marc forgot to mention two dishes.

The first is:
Dukkah-a delicious mixture of seeds (sesame, anise, corriander, etc.) and almonds, ground up and used as a dip for bread that's been first dipped in olive oil. We discovered it on our trip to Australia in September.

The second is (and Marc, how could you forget):
TARTE TATIN!!!!!

Hey all!

Stevie and I worked through a first pass at the menu for this year. So many recipes looked great that the triage process was difficult.

Comments? Volunteers?

This is the same number of dishes as last year. We envision up to 7 more people this year than last year (my mom, Eric & Miran, Ron & Katherine Soskin, Paul Goldberg, and possibly his gf and son).

All page references are from the cookbook this year: Chanterelle. There were a few other recipes we thought might be interesting, such as their self-proclaimed signature dish of Grilled Seafood Sausage (pg. 97), or do the complete trio of Jewish foods (the Pike Quennelles (pg. 99) that we are doing, just really fancy gelfite fish, and the Blintzes with salmon (pg. 38), and the Chilled Beet Soup with Creme Fraiche & Caviar (pg. 59), aka Borsht).

Appetizers

• House smoked salmon - we'll do a whole salmon this year
• Eve's Cheese. Stinky, runny ones only. That's how I plan to control my weight at this meal.
• Pizzette's. Expect one aimed at you anchovy lovers at there. Plus whatever else we typically make.
• Homemade beer to accompany the pizzettes: Scottish Ale, Belgium White, Hop-to-it (a very hoppy American Pale Ale), and Oatmeal Stout.
• Chinese spoons with Fried Oysters, Sweet & Sour Pickles & Curry Mayonnaise (pg. 31)
• Roulade of Prosciutto, Foie Gras & Figs (pg. 44). Yes - foie gras is back!

Sitdown

First Courses

• Lobster with Bouillabaisse Aspic (pg. 92)
• Moroccan Roast Loin & Braised Shank of Lamb with a Gateau of Lamb Shank & Eggplant
• Dry-Cured Tuna with Spicy Mustard Vinaigrette (pg. 41)
• Asparagus Flan with Morel Mushrooms & Oyster Sauce (pg. 79)

Second Courses

• Pike Quenelles with Black Truffles & Lettuce (pg 99). This is just a fancy Gelfite Fish!
• Horseradish-Crusted Beef Tenderloin (Cooks Illustrated, Nov. 2009, pg. 8)

Desserts

• Fig & Goat Cheese Tart with Huckleberry Ice Cream (pg. 267)
• Cherry Vanilla Brioche Pudding with Maple-Star Anise Ice Cream (pg. 271)
• An Emont Chocolate creation? Maybe the "Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake" (Cooks Illustrated, Nov. 2009, pg. 20)

Welcome to the Big Xmas Feast Blog

We're ready to start taking cookbook of the year nominations...my first Nomination is Chantrelle. It has all the requisite things we need. And the food looks wonderful. And it's selling for a bargain price!

Any comments, additions, revisions suggestions, nominations, etc. are welcome. As if you wouldn't anyway!