What’s going on food-wise tonight? Eating out? Staying in? Anyone do the Feast of Seven Fishes?
I remember when I was growing up, my family usually ended up at TGI Friday’s because most other restaurants closed early and we went to 5 PM mass (in my long-lost religious days ).
Then we went to Yesterday’s in Hazlet for three or four years because of convenience, they were open until 10. I really despised this restaurant. Drinks were cheap but the food was and I imagine still is dreadful. Two years ago we ended up making the trek to Cafe Bela Vita on Staten Island, one of my favorite restaurants. My dad passed away in the coming months and I have yet to return to that place. I worked last Christmas Eve (and enjoyed it just for being out of the house at a sad time) so tonight is kind of a first.
I am thinking Barnacle Bill’s for tonight with my mom, grandma, and Justin. They are open regular hours tonight. Kitchen until 10:30, bar until after 1. I could use a few LIT’s. Its a place that I discovered after my father’s death, and therefore has no connection to him and has a chance to make new memories or maybe a tradition.
This one feels different than previous years … for a number of reasons
going to watch “Love Actually”, because it is a super silly feel good movie right after
I watch this video and depress the hell out of myself Happy Holidays to all
DH picked up an amazing Napoleon cake from a bakery in Brooklyn, it was dinner
I was with my best friend’s family, as I have been for 25+ years now. His nieces are my nieces, and I love getting hang time with them and the rest of the crew. Dinner at that house isn’t the focus as much as dessert is (baking DNA) so I let my Cookie Monster dictate my eating last night!
We have an old family tradition of going to the movies and then out for Chinese food on Christmas. It dates back to the time of the Pharaohs in Egypt. One of our family historical heirlooms is a receipt from House of DeNile dated 1102 B.C.
We were invited to dinner with some friends. They are of Slovakian origin and do a traditional Slovak Xmas Eve dinner of three soups. No meat but lots of ethnic accompaniments. Lots of tradition at their house - it was a lot of fun.
Ours doesn’t date back that far but I do love a Chinese feast on Christmas. We just got back from Asian Jewels in Flushing, where they were so slammed that they basically ran out of dim sum. We managed to snare a few favorites from the carts and then ordered some lo mein and beef with dry tofu to round out the meal. Yum!
Last year we didn’t travel and made no plans so Christmas Eve we went to the Hotel Tides for drinks, not realizing it was a pot luck. I couldn’t eat anything there so we went to Mcloones as it was the only place open. Kitchen was closed so we went to Kim Marie’s.
Feasted on potato skins, wife had cheese steak egg rolls. Lots of lonely people in there drinking, pretty sad actually but made for a strange Christmas memory that thankfully did not turn into a tradition.
Mrs. P made a ‘plan B’ surf and turf. Plan ‘A’ was to have filet mignon with lobster but both Fairway and ShopRite were closed on Christmas day. So instead of lobster we had to settle for shrimp Thermidor😄 The filet was cooked in black truffle butter and veal demi glacé, and was served over an excellent umami bomb of butternut squash puree that was mixed with duck fat, thyme, garlic, and coconut milk, anong other ingredients. It was topped with blue cheese. The shrimp Thermidor might not look pretty but it was decadent, and contained a ton of ingredients. It all went great with LePlan Cotes Du Rhone.
One tradition I’d like to continue to celebrate is my grand kids running up to me with arms wide open and singing, “Merry Christmas, Grandpa. I love you.”
To celebrate Isaac Newton’s birthday, our friends’ daughter cooked a Home Fresh holiday meal: baguette slices with brie and raspberry jam, beef medallions in a cherry glaze, roasted brussels sprouts with bacon, carrots, mashed potatoes, and apple-cranberry compote.