I’m home in Los Angeles, vaccinated, fortified, happy to be alive and absolutely exhausted — exhausted and shattered in ways I didn’t even know I could be. What a year. I’m not going to a party tomorrow, but I’ll be celebrating with my husband, some friends, two good dogs in funny hats, and a big dinner at home.
I live for this stage of menu planning, where any future, in any possible combination, is still possible. I thought we’d start with a round of cocktails (see below!) and some nibbles on the coffee table. Maybe some crunchy stir-fried chickpeas, topped with lots of lemon zest and aleppo pepper, and some tamarind-spiced nuts with cheese, and this very easy beet dip with labneh and olive oil, which I love with spears of cold Persian cucumber and warm lovage.
When we go out for dinner, I want juicy, smoky portobellos au poivre with creamed spinach and mountains of colcannon with crispy leeks and puffy vegan Yorkshire puds (this new recipe isn’t made with beef tallow, and I can’t wait to try it). Or wait! Maybe I’d like to make some puffy homemade pizzas instead with a big, nice Sicilian-style citrus salad.
For dessert, I think red wine poached pears with thick, poured cream and juicy pomegranate seeds on top will set the mood — there’s something so quietly festive about whole fruit for dessert — but I’ve got my eye on this rosemary-honey almond, too. Could I make it all? New. I’ll fix all of this for tomorrow, promise.
Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
Go to the recipe.
One more thing!
I’m going to clear some space on my counter so I can set up glasses and garnishes for Rebekah Peppler’s batched 50-50 martini. I mix it in a large bowl in the morning, then pour it into an empty liquor bottle and put it in the freezer to chill.
If you want to do the same, you need 9 ounces dry gin, 9 ounces dry vermouth and 4 ounces of filtered water. Combine, cool, then measure 3 ounces for each drink and add garnishes as green olives, lemon twists, small cocktail onions a dash of olive brine, or whatever you want.
This recipe makes exactly 6 drinks, so double it and fill/chill a second 750ml bottle if you want to be ready to pour more cocktails. Happy New Year and see you next week!
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