A Happy New Year to All

One week ago today, it was bustling in the kitchen at Heston's Lodge. As is our custom of many years, several cooks were preparing for our New Year's Eve feast. I have been doing this for about twenty years. Prior to my days at the stove, Sharlene would prepare the buffet. We invite all of our cabin guests and several friends to gather, eat, and usher in the new year.



Through the years, I have been an armchair traveler of several different cuisines to guide me in the menu plan. 2009 was no exception, but I chose a broad base: Asian foods. This allowed me to pick and choose from many different countries to come up with dishes that sounded best, looked easy, and had readily available ingredients. I think we were successful on all counts. Each year, the comments come through that this was the best one yet, but I think our memories are getting shorter!



Without all of the wondrous helpers who show up throughout the day, I would be lost in getting this meal together. Typically we have about sixty people who come to eat. One cook can't do it all in a kitchen my size. Judith made a beautiful platter of sushi; Gerri and Karen prepared several recipes, from Asian coleslaw to Potato and Cauliflower Curry; Greg and Tim grilled several sticks of satay; and I stir-fried over a campstove on the back porch. Mo and Tim brought an amazing halibut curry, and Tony and Tre saved the day by bringing fresh basil (for the Thai chicken) all the way from Green Bay! Ruth and Jody brought delicious entrees and appetizers from their own kitchens as well. Several folks pitched in for set-up and dish-washing duties. It was an amazing joint effort.



Addie did a fabulous job on the dessert table, and

those are actually the only photos I got. She made some pretty little meringue mushrooms and then frosted balsam branches, to adorn a gingerbread sponge roll with semi-friddo filling, made by Gerri. That was my favorite. We also had a blueberry cheesecake, chocolate torte, many cookies and holiday goodies....a wonderful finish.



We had a bit of music, thanks to Jim on the guitar and piano by Erik. Lots of good conversation and camaraderie flowed through the lodge. We capped off the evening with our bonfire. Greg has passed the torch on to the next generation, and so Paul and James did an excellent job of building and starting the fire. Everyone enjoyed the full blue moon shining down upon us.



What a wonderful way to honor the old and begin the new year.