2008 Holiday Party

 

 

 

 

 

The last few weeks have been crazy, to say the least.  Work was super busy and then the snow hit.  And hit again.  Many people think that with Seattle being as far north as it is that snow is common here.  But it’s not so we don’t have much snow removal equipment and in a city built on hills that can lead to all kinds of issues.  And with this series of storms the snow build-up in the neighborhoods left many people stuck at home or, when they did manage to get out to the main roads, buffeted around as cars were caught in deep ruts of snow, ice and eventually slush.  I love the snow but this was a mess!  

 

I had really been looking forward to my annual holiday party – someone asked me how long I’ve been having it and I think in one form or another since 1987! – but was unsure I’d be able to have it this year.  But a few days before it was scheduled the weather turned and the snow started melting away so the day after Christmas – known as Boxing Day to some – I started my shopping, only to find that deliveries of certain items had not made it to stores due to the bad weather.  So I made another trip on Saturday morning and then (finally!) got going on my prep work for Sunday’s party.  In between my cooking projects I spent time clearing snow in front of the house so that guests could have a snow-free approach. 

 

I tried several new things this year and was really happy with them.  And of course there were plenty of tried and true options, too. 

 

The bite-sized mac and cheese were excellent and fun, although next time I’d make them a little bigger.  The pulled pork sandwich was really good, too.  I opted to omit the coleslaw due to time and a concern about the messiness of the finished sandwich.  They were very tasty with just the pork, although I’m sure the coleslaw would add a nice contrasting element.  The mini creme brulee was rich and refreshing at the same time!  Although I got rushed at the end and didn’t properly torch the sugar. 

 

 

 

Here’s the complete menu with links to several recipes:   

 

Chinese Pork with Hot Mustard, Ketchup and Sesame Seeds

Chicken Liver Pate with Brandied Fruit from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table: Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Southern Alaska

Duck Bruschetta with Cherry Chutney  

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus

Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese, Red Onions and Capers

Mozzarella and Charcuterie Slices with Cucumber and Grainy Mustard

Oven Roasted Shrimp

Pickled Vegetables and Olives

Assorted Cookies

Mini Lemon-Blueberry Creme Brulee

 

Here are a few photos and the rest can be found here.