Food, Wine & Friends Page 96
Our annual celebration of the new year featured some good cooking, good wines
and dear friends.
The Obester's kitchen calendar was, as of this day, "history."
Henry got busy and opened the 1996 Mailly Champagne "Cuvee Les Echansons."
This was Henry's gift to Alexia for Christmas and she was kind enough to share
it with the group.
Meanwhile, we had oysters to deal with!
Meanwhile, Sandy and Paul were assembling some Latkes with caviar.
Voila!
Jesper had made some pasta using Nonna Pierina Vietti's recipe
and he was ready to hand cut this to whatever thickness deemed appropriate by
truffle-meister Bob Gorman.
Meanwhile, Amy was busy drinking Champagne.
We then opened our second bottle of Champagne, the Deutz 1996
Cuvee William Deutz. I was surprised to see the cork of this bottle...it
had been disgorged more than a few months ago...it was moderately bubbly and
certainly very fine.
Jesper then got busy with the knife and cut the pasta into rather wide strips.
This was really great pasta!
We then opened the white wines for the pasta with chanterelles...
With the pasta pot boiling in the background, Bob took care of putting the
finishing touches on Henry & Alexia's chanterelles.
Cream.
The pasta did not take long to cook and Bob applied the sauce.
Bob's black truffle was waiting for the pasta.
Jesper gives Bob a hand...
The truffle was then shaved atop the hot pasta for an amazingly fine first
course!
The two white wines were excellent. The Drouhin showed a bit more richness
and was the softer wine. Both had a nice touch of oak and ripe, appley
fruit.
Dane and his Mom then took a seat in the kitchen to watch the next course being
prepared...
Bob was whacking up some bread for "croutons" or toasts for the Foie
gras course...
After whacking up the bread, Bob set about slicing the foie gras...
Moments later Bob was ready to serve the foie...
Lapeyre's "Magendia" was a superb accompaniment to the foie gras!
It's a barrel-fermented white made entirely of Petit Manseng. You might be
reminded a bit of Sauternes, though the fruit notes are more varied and wild.
Next was a palate-cleansing Sorbet made of the juice of blood oranges.
Alexia then decanted the two 1975 Bordeaux...
We had a Chteau Margaux and a Chteau Cos d'Estournel.
Paul then got busy with the duck.
The duck with the Bordeaux.
Chef Paul.
Chef de Cave, Alexia Moore.
Pasta Maker Jesper Jensen.
The Burgs...
One of the two platters of cheese that Alexia put together...
The DRC Echezeaux was stunningly good. We also had a nice bottle of 1988 Chteau
de la Tour Clos Vougeot which was good.
We then finished the evening with a fire in the fire place and a glass of
Port...The Graham's 1975 Vintage Porto was quite nice with the panforte
assortment.
Then it was an hour and a half into the new year before we hit the sack!
****************************************************
Sunday morning arrived quickly and so did the rains!
Henry surveys the coast.
Dane stays warm by the fire.
There's activity in the kitchen...
Jesper made some croissants which were flakier than me!
Even a bag of Muesli couldn't entice Alexia and Henry to stay for
breakfast...they dashed off to start the new year off with some office work!
Meanwhile, Dane and Alanna were looking for submarines out in the ocean.
It turns out there were a couple of small gifts for the kids...
Good thing the oven is gas powered, since the electricity went out early in the
morning.
Bob moves quickly when there's food involved.
A view from the balcony.
The surf was high as the storms were rolling in...
Paul, Jesper and Dane went out by the flag pole to measure the wind speed.
"Yeah, it's windy." Paul said.
The coast wasn't "clear," but we soon departed for Burlingame...but
that's another story!
Thanks to Paul and Sandy, Henry and Alexia, Whisper and Amy, Bob Gorman and the
two little squirts for making the end of 2005 and the start of 2006 a real
delight!
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