How to Buy, Cook and Eat Percebes, the Crazy Looking Crustaceans Chefs Adore
Justine Sterling
Trust us, they're better than they look.
Nicknamed "gooseneck barnacles," Percebes are not the prettiest creatures. They’re tubular with dark brown skin, bright orange flesh and claw-like shells that recall tiny rhinoceros feet. They just happen to be as tasty as they are ugly—and a favorite of notable chefs like George Mendes and Ken Oringer.
In Spain and Portugal, seafood lovers prize percebes above lobster or shrimp. Come spring and fall, they're hand-harvested off the rocks in Galacia and you'd be hard pressed to miss them at local markets and restaurants during that time. While U.S. consumers can't yet get fresh percebes from Galacian sources, you can score them fresh from Vancouver thanks to the vendor La Tienda.
La Tienda’s wild gooseneck barnacles get harvested by the Nuu-chah-nulth, a Canadian First Nation tribe, which secured exclusive rights to collect the shellfish. Available for $89.95 per pound through the end of May, the fresh percebes are worth the splurge—hey, it’s still cheaper than flying to Spain—as long as you have some ideas about how to prepare them. Here, La Tienda owner Jonathan Harris shares his top tips for cooking and eating percebes.
On cooking percebes: As daunting as percebes may look, they’re a breeze to prepare. Harris recommends simply steaming, blanching or simmering them in heavily salted water (think oceanic levels of salt).
On seasoning percebes: “The idea is that you want to let the briny flavors to be the star,” Harris says. Serve the cooked percebes with a squeeze of lemon and nothing more.
On eating percebes: “Holding the hard shell as a handle, twist and pull the meat out from the tube of the neck, or body,” Harris instructs. Then eat the bright coral-colored meat in one or two bites. “Each bite is tender and chewy,” he says. “The flavor is fresh an salty—like a splash of seawater.”
On pairing percebes with wine: Harris pairs percebes with a crisp, cirtrusy Albarino, harkening back to their celebrity status in Spain.
On storing percebes: They might look tough, but percebes spoil quickly. “That is why they need to be pried from the rocks whole and must be shipped alive,” Harris says. “Each batch of thumb-sized percebes is shipped overnight and can be stored for several days in the refrigerator.” Make sure to keep them somewhat dry. “Ironically, they can’t be stored in water,” he says.
25 Mother's Day Gifts That'll Put Breakfast-in-Bed to Shame
Because flowers are so last year.
Ava Feuer and Madison Fraser
HACK DINNER TIME PREP
When you're in a rush (or feeling lazy AF), one-pan dinners are the way to go. This paella kit covers all the bases—even the cookware— so she don't have to think twice.
Mini Paella Kit, $40; tienda.com.
10 Online Latino Food Stores You Should Check Out
Czarmecin
If you want to taste different flavors of food, you do not necessarily need to travel the world to do so. If you love to explore different Latino foods, in particular, there are online Latino food stores that offer you the best taste of Spanish, Mexican and Puerto Rican cuisines.
La Tienda -- If you want to shop for Spanish food, look no further than La Tienda. The store offers ham, chorizo, paella, a variety of cheese and wine and more. They also offer cookware, tableware and even toiletries.
Read more
If you want to taste different flavors of food, you do not necessarily need to travel the world to do so. If you love to explore different Latino foods, in particular, there are online Latino food stores that offer you the best taste of Spanish, Mexican and Puerto Rican cuisines.
La Tienda -- If you want to shop for Spanish food, look no further than La Tienda. The store offers ham, chorizo, paella, a variety of cheese and wine and more. They also offer cookware, tableware and even toiletries.
Valentine’s Day 2016: The Perfect Gift No Matter How Long You’ve Been Dating
Sarah Ball & Jillian Ruffo
Whether you’ve been dating for 15 minutes or 15 years, Valentine’s Day is a tricky holiday to shop for. Luckily, we found 19 finds to dazzle your love of any length of time.
0-6 MONTHS
If you're not serious enough to exchange presents, then opt for something that you both can enjoy: tapas for two! (Plus a card, per Wendy Williams' rules of dating.)
La Tienda Tapas for Two Gift Box, $58.95; tienda.com
Read more
Whether you’ve been dating for 15 minutes or 15 years, Valentine’s Day is a tricky holiday to shop for. Luckily, we found 19 finds to dazzle your love of any length of time.
0-6 MONTHS
If you're not serious enough to exchange presents, then opt for something that you both can enjoy: tapas for two! (Plus a card, per Wendy Williams' rules of dating.)
La Tienda Tapas for Two Gift Box, $58.95; tienda.com
Catalan Comfort: How to Cook in a Cassola
Get to know the rustic, deeply flavored stews of Catalonia.
Jeff Koehler
Nearly 20 years ago, not long after I moved to Catalonia, the region in northeastern Spain of which Barcelona is the capital, my soon-to-be mother-in-law gave me my first cassola. Also known by its Spanish name, cazuela, this shallow, round, kiln-fired terra-cotta casserole is the workhorse of the traditional Catalan kitchen, where it’s used to stew and braise meats, poultry, and seafood, and even to make rice dishes. Then, when the dish is ready, the cassola is carried to the dining table, where it serves double-duty as an attractive serving vessel. Already a deep ruddy color and veined with a patina of hairline cracks when it was given to me, that first cassola lasted me for years as I learned to cook a repertoire of Catalan classics in it.
Dishes cooked a la cassola often follow a similar formula
First, the main ingredient—whether meat or seafood—is browned in the cassola and then transferred to a platter. Next, a sofregit (sofrito in Spanish) is prepared. This slow-cooked onion and tomato base is the foundation of countless dishes and a hallmark of the Catalan kitchen. Cooking the sofregit is never rushed—the flavors must be allowed to deepen and sweeten and the texture to become soft and pulpy. As my mother-inlaw told me long ago when I tried to hurry along a late lunch, “A quick sofregit does not exist.”
The meat or seafood is then returned to the cassola along with a splash of wine—crisp white for a tangy, mineral touch, muscatel or even brandy for earthier tones. Stock is ladled in, the heat is turned to low, and the dish is left to braise slowly. This, in Catalan, is called xup-xup (pronounced “choop-choop”), for the sound of the bubbles just popping through the surface of the sauce as it reduces.
Whereas the sofregit leads, a picada often finishes. Ten minutes or so before the dish is done, a handful of almonds, a clove of garlic, some parsley, and perhaps a small piece of day-old bread are pounded with a mortar and pestle into a ne paste and stirred into the stew. This mixture—the picada—thickens the sauce and draws the flavors together, giving the dish body and boldness, along with a rustic hue. So distinctive is the way of cooking in a cassola that it often lends its name to the dish: conill a la cassola (rabbit), costilles a la cassola (pork ribs), arròs a la cassola (rice).
These are family dishes, Sunday dishes, dishes to linger over.
Flavors might be few, but they are concentrated, and the last of the sauce gets shamelessly mopped up with bread from the cassola sitting in the middle of the table. But just as important is the element of gathering others around that table. The comfort that the dish brings is the ultimate goal of cooking a la cassola.
Caring for your Cassola
Traditional cassolas are glazed terra-cotta, though some cooks prefer more modern heavy cast-aluminum or cast-iron ones that distribute and retain heat just as well for simmering and braising but are much less fragile. Cassolas come in a variety of sizes, the most common being 30 cm (about 12-1/2 inches). When shopping for a cassola anywhere outside of Catalonia, you’ll most likely see it called by its Spanish name, cazuela.
Seasoning
Before using a traditional earthenware cassola for the first time, you may need to season it, which typically involves soaking it overnight in water and then allowing it to fully air-dry. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for this step.
Cooking
An earthenware cassola shouldn’t be used over heat higher than medium high. Some manufacturers suggest using a heat diffuser to further protect the cassola and help it cook foods more evenly. Never set a hot cassola down on a cold surface or place a cold cassola—i.e., one that was refrigerated with leftovers—on a hot surface. Small cracks may appear with use and won’t affect the cassola’s performance, but deep cracks mean that it’s time for a new one.
Cleaning and Storing
Let your cassola cool completely before hand-washing in warm, soapy water. Rinse and then dry with a soft cloth.
Read more
Jeff Koehler
Nearly 20 years ago, not long after I moved to Catalonia, the region in northeastern Spain of which Barcelona is the capital, my soon-to-be mother-in-law gave me my first cassola. Also known by its Spanish name, cazuela, this shallow, round, kiln-fired terra-cotta casserole is the workhorse of the traditional Catalan kitchen, where it’s used to stew and braise meats, poultry, and seafood, and even to make rice dishes. Then, when the dish is ready, the cassola is carried to the dining table, where it serves double-duty as an attractive serving vessel. Already a deep ruddy color and veined with a patina of hairline cracks when it was given to me, that first cassola lasted me for years as I learned to cook a repertoire of Catalan classics in it.
Dishes cooked a la cassola often follow a similar formula
First, the main ingredient—whether meat or seafood—is browned in the cassola and then transferred to a platter. Next, a sofregit (sofrito in Spanish) is prepared. This slow-cooked onion and tomato base is the foundation of countless dishes and a hallmark of the Catalan kitchen. Cooking the sofregit is never rushed—the flavors must be allowed to deepen and sweeten and the texture to become soft and pulpy. As my mother-inlaw told me long ago when I tried to hurry along a late lunch, “A quick sofregit does not exist.”
The meat or seafood is then returned to the cassola along with a splash of wine—crisp white for a tangy, mineral touch, muscatel or even brandy for earthier tones. Stock is ladled in, the heat is turned to low, and the dish is left to braise slowly. This, in Catalan, is called xup-xup (pronounced “choop-choop”), for the sound of the bubbles just popping through the surface of the sauce as it reduces.
Whereas the sofregit leads, a picada often finishes. Ten minutes or so before the dish is done, a handful of almonds, a clove of garlic, some parsley, and perhaps a small piece of day-old bread are pounded with a mortar and pestle into a ne paste and stirred into the stew. This mixture—the picada—thickens the sauce and draws the flavors together, giving the dish body and boldness, along with a rustic hue. So distinctive is the way of cooking in a cassola that it often lends its name to the dish: conill a la cassola (rabbit), costilles a la cassola (pork ribs), arròs a la cassola (rice).
These are family dishes, Sunday dishes, dishes to linger over.
Flavors might be few, but they are concentrated, and the last of the sauce gets shamelessly mopped up with bread from the cassola sitting in the middle of the table. But just as important is the element of gathering others around that table. The comfort that the dish brings is the ultimate goal of cooking a la cassola.
Caring for your Cassola
Traditional cassolas are glazed terra-cotta, though some cooks prefer more modern heavy cast-aluminum or cast-iron ones that distribute and retain heat just as well for simmering and braising but are much less fragile. Cassolas come in a variety of sizes, the most common being 30 cm (about 12-1/2 inches). When shopping for a cassola anywhere outside of Catalonia, you’ll most likely see it called by its Spanish name, cazuela.
Seasoning
Before using a traditional earthenware cassola for the first time, you may need to season it, which typically involves soaking it overnight in water and then allowing it to fully air-dry. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for this step.
Cooking
An earthenware cassola shouldn’t be used over heat higher than medium high. Some manufacturers suggest using a heat diffuser to further protect the cassola and help it cook foods more evenly. Never set a hot cassola down on a cold surface or place a cold cassola—i.e., one that was refrigerated with leftovers—on a hot surface. Small cracks may appear with use and won’t affect the cassola’s performance, but deep cracks mean that it’s time for a new one.
Cleaning and Storing
Let your cassola cool completely before hand-washing in warm, soapy water. Rinse and then dry with a soft cloth.
Impress the foodies on your list with these awesome gifts
Adam Rapoport
Make your friends and family drool with the perfect gift! Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit, shares fun gifts for the foodie in your life.
Gourmet cheese, moonshine cake: Ultimate food gifts for Christmas
Read more
Make your friends and family drool with the perfect gift! Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit, shares fun gifts for the foodie in your life.
Gourmet cheese, moonshine cake: Ultimate food gifts for Christmas
Feasting: Gift Guide for the Chowhound
Amanda Gabriele
We all have that one person in our life (maybe many, if you’re lucky) who loves to eat more than anything. These people appreciate just about everything you put in front of them, whether it’s a simple roasted chicken, super fancy tasting menu or a plate of $2 dumplings you can only find in the depths of Chinatown. We love these friends because they expose us to new cuisines and experiences, encouraging us to open our minds and our taste buds. So this holiday season, treat your favorite chowhound to one of these stellar gifts, and give him or her something new to chew for once.
FERMÍN BONELESS JAMÓN SERRANO
Cured in the medieval mountain town of La Alberca, Spain from humanely-raised pigs, this delicious ham is hung to dry in the cool mountain air where it ages for more than a year. Of all the Serrano hams available in America, this one is the most authentic, so even those with the most discerning tastes won’t be able to get enough. $349.95, La Tienda
We Blog the World 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
Spanish Flare with La Tienda
Renee Blodgett
For the best of Spain, La Tienda has such a variety of items, it’s impossible not to find something you either need or is far too much fun to pass up. While you can get wine (and wine collections) on their site as well as cava, sherry, Sangria and wine accessories, we are doing a round-up of fun California wines later this month, so we thought we’d focus on some of the other delicacies they do so well, such as olive oil, their cookware and tableware, as well as other food items that are perfect for the holidays, like chorizo, paella, ham and cheese.
And, listen to this, it’s not just any ham — they have whole bone in-hams, whole boneless hams, sliced hams and grilling porks and for cheese, since the cheese is SO delicious in Spain, we had to try some out. They offer cow, sheep and goat cheese or combinations of all of them. Sweet! They even do vinegars, nuts and seafood and with such a wide variety of choice, it’s hard to know where to begin.
While you might find meat an odd thing to find on a Gift Guide, I’ll be honest with you, when it showed up in a box specifically designed to keep it cold, I was impressed….and we were excited to try it out. There’s something alluring about meat (and cheese) arriving on your doorstep.
In this case, the Spanish flare was there. Central to Spanish cuisine is the parrilla, or grill, fueled with natural charcoal or grapevine cuttings. Depending on the region of Spain, you will enjoy grilled chorizo, butifarra, chistorra or morcilla sausages, sizzling hot and full of flavor. Grilled lamb chops and aged steak are a favorite, but acorn-fed, free-range Ibérico de Bellota pork is arguably the finest meat for the grill.
We also love their pottery, which comes in serving and tableware. Why? It’s fun and brightly colored in an oh so Spanish style. And, the prices are right, which is great for even last minute holiday gift buys. For example, how about this stunning Mediterranean Blue Terra Cotta Sangría Pitcher? What a better way to serve the famous Spanish cocktail OR even water on the table for a dinner party than with this bright Sangría pitcher? I personally love the color since it combines earth tones with Mediterranean flare. Apparently, the pitcher is made in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains.
If you’re a cheese lover, you’ll love their selection. We particularly fell in love with their Villajos Reserva Manchego Cheese which you can get in a four pound box – what an incredible gift idea? If you love cheese, you know that sheep and goat cheese from Spain, Italy and Greece is to die-for! And, you’ll also know that it’s not that easy to get high quality imported cheese at most grocery stores in the states — even specialty ones in higher profile cities like San Francisco have their limitations. Why not splurge on the holidays?
Their Villajos Reserva is an authentic handmade, raw sheep’s milk cheese cured for over one year. Many connoisseurs apparently rate this Villajos as the best Manchego in Spain. The cheese is “homemade” – made in small quantities by two brothers from milk supplied by local shepherds. Oh so yum!
It is made with raw milk from the Manchega breed of sheep, which are tended by shepherds in the hills surrounding the village. As story has it, the family collects the fresh milk and makes the cheese within hours of milking in order to preserve its natural aroma and taste. Because the milk is so fresh, it does not need to be pasteurized which would tone down the rich flavors of the cheese. And yup, it has won a bunch of awards, including Gran Seleccion Medal Winner for three years in a row — two thumbs up!
While we’re on cheese, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention their olive oil selection. They have everything from Reserve to more standard extra virgin olive oil. While we tried a more standard olive oil in their collection, we WISHED we tested something that caught our attention after the fact – the Mas Tarres Extra Virgin Olive Oil Siurana, which is a fruity mild oil but in a signature whiskey bottle. Looks absolutely delish and also beautifully presented, which makes for a great holiday gift selection.
Head on over to www.tienda.com for a ton of browsing fun.
Read more
Renee Blodgett
For the best of Spain, La Tienda has such a variety of items, it’s impossible not to find something you either need or is far too much fun to pass up. While you can get wine (and wine collections) on their site as well as cava, sherry, Sangria and wine accessories, we are doing a round-up of fun California wines later this month, so we thought we’d focus on some of the other delicacies they do so well, such as olive oil, their cookware and tableware, as well as other food items that are perfect for the holidays, like chorizo, paella, ham and cheese.
And, listen to this, it’s not just any ham — they have whole bone in-hams, whole boneless hams, sliced hams and grilling porks and for cheese, since the cheese is SO delicious in Spain, we had to try some out. They offer cow, sheep and goat cheese or combinations of all of them. Sweet! They even do vinegars, nuts and seafood and with such a wide variety of choice, it’s hard to know where to begin.
While you might find meat an odd thing to find on a Gift Guide, I’ll be honest with you, when it showed up in a box specifically designed to keep it cold, I was impressed….and we were excited to try it out. There’s something alluring about meat (and cheese) arriving on your doorstep.
In this case, the Spanish flare was there. Central to Spanish cuisine is the parrilla, or grill, fueled with natural charcoal or grapevine cuttings. Depending on the region of Spain, you will enjoy grilled chorizo, butifarra, chistorra or morcilla sausages, sizzling hot and full of flavor. Grilled lamb chops and aged steak are a favorite, but acorn-fed, free-range Ibérico de Bellota pork is arguably the finest meat for the grill.
We also love their pottery, which comes in serving and tableware. Why? It’s fun and brightly colored in an oh so Spanish style. And, the prices are right, which is great for even last minute holiday gift buys. For example, how about this stunning Mediterranean Blue Terra Cotta Sangría Pitcher? What a better way to serve the famous Spanish cocktail OR even water on the table for a dinner party than with this bright Sangría pitcher? I personally love the color since it combines earth tones with Mediterranean flare. Apparently, the pitcher is made in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains.
If you’re a cheese lover, you’ll love their selection. We particularly fell in love with their Villajos Reserva Manchego Cheese which you can get in a four pound box – what an incredible gift idea? If you love cheese, you know that sheep and goat cheese from Spain, Italy and Greece is to die-for! And, you’ll also know that it’s not that easy to get high quality imported cheese at most grocery stores in the states — even specialty ones in higher profile cities like San Francisco have their limitations. Why not splurge on the holidays?
Their Villajos Reserva is an authentic handmade, raw sheep’s milk cheese cured for over one year. Many connoisseurs apparently rate this Villajos as the best Manchego in Spain. The cheese is “homemade” – made in small quantities by two brothers from milk supplied by local shepherds. Oh so yum!
It is made with raw milk from the Manchega breed of sheep, which are tended by shepherds in the hills surrounding the village. As story has it, the family collects the fresh milk and makes the cheese within hours of milking in order to preserve its natural aroma and taste. Because the milk is so fresh, it does not need to be pasteurized which would tone down the rich flavors of the cheese. And yup, it has won a bunch of awards, including Gran Seleccion Medal Winner for three years in a row — two thumbs up!
While we’re on cheese, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention their olive oil selection. They have everything from Reserve to more standard extra virgin olive oil. While we tried a more standard olive oil in their collection, we WISHED we tested something that caught our attention after the fact – the Mas Tarres Extra Virgin Olive Oil Siurana, which is a fruity mild oil but in a signature whiskey bottle. Looks absolutely delish and also beautifully presented, which makes for a great holiday gift selection.
Head on over to www.tienda.com for a ton of browsing fun.
The Munchies Holiday Gift Guide
Gifts for People Who Have Everything
Munchies Staff
‘Tis the season to give and get gifts. But why stick to stale candy canes stuck in a stained mug that says “World’s #2 Dad” when you could get something that, well, doesn’t suck? To wit, we here at MUNCHIES have tirelessly racked our greasy brains to compile the best food-related gifts on planet Earth, and quite possibly the universe. Behold, The MUNCHIES Holiday Gift Guide.
Fermín Boneless Jamón Serrano
Finally, the pièce de résistance: Your own personal ham. And this ain’t any ham—it’s a fine specimen of jamón serrano, a traditional form of Spanish charcuterie that makes prosciutto look like stew meat.
Read more
Munchies Staff
‘Tis the season to give and get gifts. But why stick to stale candy canes stuck in a stained mug that says “World’s #2 Dad” when you could get something that, well, doesn’t suck? To wit, we here at MUNCHIES have tirelessly racked our greasy brains to compile the best food-related gifts on planet Earth, and quite possibly the universe. Behold, The MUNCHIES Holiday Gift Guide.
Fermín Boneless Jamón Serrano
Finally, the pièce de résistance: Your own personal ham. And this ain’t any ham—it’s a fine specimen of jamón serrano, a traditional form of Spanish charcuterie that makes prosciutto look like stew meat.
Great Gifts Under $100
What to get the foodie who has everything
Looking for a holiday present for a food- loving friend or family member? Here are five fabulous ideas, all tasted and tested by the Clean Plates staff—and all for less than a Benjamin.
1. Ecoficus Fig Bombóns:
The family-run confectioner that makes these bite-size USDA organic treats grows diminutive calabacita figs, which they fill with almond praline and then coat with dark chocolate. Our office echoed with “oohs” and “aahs” when we tried the just-sweet-enough morsels. ($19 for 12)
Read more
Looking for a holiday present for a food- loving friend or family member? Here are five fabulous ideas, all tasted and tested by the Clean Plates staff—and all for less than a Benjamin.
1. Ecoficus Fig Bombóns:
The family-run confectioner that makes these bite-size USDA organic treats grows diminutive calabacita figs, which they fill with almond praline and then coat with dark chocolate. Our office echoed with “oohs” and “aahs” when we tried the just-sweet-enough morsels. ($19 for 12)
The Holiday Edition 2015
The Gourmand
Alison Engstrom
Artisan Aged Manchego Cheese
Available at tienda.com
Ibérico Cheese from La Mancha
Available at tienda.com
Marqués de Valdueza Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Available at tienda.com
Cepa Vieja Sherry Vinegar by Vinagres de Yema
Available at tienda.com
Read more
Alison Engstrom
Artisan Aged Manchego Cheese
Available at tienda.com
Ibérico Cheese from La Mancha
Available at tienda.com
Marqués de Valdueza Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Available at tienda.com
Cepa Vieja Sherry Vinegar by Vinagres de Yema
Available at tienda.com
The Last Supper: This Feast for the Ages Features Some of the World’s Best Food and Wine
Darkness overtakes light, the sun giving way to the moon. Harvest time has ended, and a bounty of wonders awaits our delectation. As the year draws to a close, we turn our attention to our Final Supper, a feast for a few fortunate souls. We will gather around the table, minds and bodies eager to bid adieu to the old; we’ll converse and ponder, and we’ll usher in the new with food and drink worthy of Vatel, chosen for our groaning board from purveyors far and wide.
We’ll partake of canapés and fruit, cheeses and bread, pork and fowl, vegetables and wines, and creatures of the sea. It will be a buffet for our age, and we’ll dine with ease, going from platter to bowl to tray as we wish. This is not a fussy affair, but one marked by spontaneity and warmth. Join us, if you dare.
We begin, of course, with Champagne and oysters. A 1998 Krug is our pleasure, and three types of bivalves: Island Creeks, Wellfleets and Peter’s Points. The Krug has aged splendidly and, with the beautiful brininess of the oysters, will take us from workaday reality to a beautiful beginning.
Also on the table are bowls of cheese straws and caviar sets holding Osetra and ikura. (One of us will decide to spoon a bit of the ikura on his oyster, a seemingly minor act that results in flavors beyond compare.) There are pears and grapes and cheeses and bread (Poilâne, of course) — items necessary for such a meal to be complete.
No winter feast should be without a suckling pig and a goose, and these will take pride of place on our stage, supported by a full leg of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota — from a pata negra pig raised in the open air and fed on herbs and grasses, then fattened on acorns — aged for four years, and one of the finest smoked country hams to be had; if you’ve never tasted Allan Benton’s handiwork, you’re in for a treat, because what he does with American pork is nothing short of revelatory.
And truffles. Sensual Alba truffles, from Italy, whose richness elevates our affair. (We source them from a Frenchwoman who now makes her home in Houston.)
For those of our group who eschew meat, red snapper from the Gulf of Mexico will be roasted whole, and a platter of giant shrimp, grilled tenderly, will provide. And we would never think of hosting a winter feast without baccala, our nod to the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
We’ll open wines throughout the evening, bottles from Spain and Germany and France, and one from Texas, chosen with care, and we’ll spend time late in the night with a bottle or two of Calvados, a liquid that, with espresso, will close our supper. There is a fireplace in our dining room, and we’ll gather around its warmth.
Desserts, you ask? There are canelés, that legendary pastry of Bourdeaux, and a wholly American confection, a Smith Island Cake, this one iced with caramel and cream. These sweets will be surrounded by our cheese boards — a cornucopia including chèvre, Stilton, Manchego and an aged Gouda. We prefer our cheeses at the end of our meal, enjoyed with a good port, the perfect digestif.
The night draws closer to day, our spirits are sated. The conversation, however, continues apace, and we speak of a new year — and new beginnings.
As we bid one another farewell and prepare to part ways, a disembodied voice is heard throughout the room: “Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles every soul.” Pepys has the final word.
Bon appétit!
