Sweet Sixteen

Last night, Zach and I hosted our 16th(!) annual New Year's Eve dinner party. It's one of our favorite traditions. Over the years, we've had as many as 25 people for a formal sit-down dinner (black tie and all) and as few as two. This year, we welcomed five friends, and Zach outdid himself once again in the kitchen. (Most years, I play sous-chef and even contribute a dish or two. This year, it was all Zach, all the time.)

We always like to break the number-one rule of dinner parties, which is never to make a dish for the very first time. This year, Zach broke it in spades, with four different dishes. And, of course, everything was wonderful. Here's the menu:

Three-Cheese Fondue with Champagne with Homemade Baguette and Sliced Apples

Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Onion Tart

Salad with Four Lettuces, Grilled Fennel, Toasted Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Sliced Clementine Oranges, and Sherry Vinaigrette

Tournedos of Filet Mignon à l'Orange, Topped with Stilton

Grilled Asparagus with Lime

Sautéed Pattypan Squash with Balsamic Vinegar

Roasted Confetti Potatoes

Homemade Dinner Rolls

Cream Puffs with Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce

Special thanks to Cyrus for inspiring the salad and the main course with his delicious Christmas dinner last weekend.

This past year was a tough one all around for our families, and we were glad to usher it out at last. We're already looking forward to NYE dinner number seventeen, and to breaking the rules again.

Warmest wishes to you all for a glorious 2006.