When I realize that the year is behind us and a new one, oh so shiny, is coming around the corner and I completely found myself pedaling uphill on keeping my lovelies, you!, informed…well, that tells you the kind of craziness the holiday season brought to us all.
November really sets off the approaching chill in the air. And the start of events everyone looks forward to.
The anticipation of the holidays.
The New York City Marathon.
Our Mayoral election, that carried the news in a constant thread.
Thanksgiving.
We had our family, as in restaurant team and fellow table less colleagues, at the restaurant with more food than I could even remember.
I remember the Thanksgiving Weekends in the Outer Banks, our first crazy adventure restaurant, and those that owned their beach houses came for a long weekend, walked the windy shores, and usually never cooked, so we actually served for the day. It was a truly a big and familiar day, enjoying the fact that afterwards our team sat and dined and the invitation extended to their families.
Lots of Tupperware to take home Chip’s leftovers.
That happened this year…everyone asked for goodie bags to take home.
Eulalie had the great pleasure of hosting an evening to celebrate the Classical Music Festival Group held in Edinburgh, Scotland in the summer. That was a true highlight. Supporting the Arts and our friend Nicky Benedetti fills us up in ways that are truly without measure.
And then, on Sunday, at the Philharmonic, we had the chance to see her play live for the first time.
Weeks later, we are still not recovered from that performance.
A Suite composed for her by Wynton…I mean, it slayed us. Emotionally, a feast for all senses. A testament to what love should and could be.
I love December because here comes Chestnuts.
The Veloute with a foie gras flan. Camoz White Vermouth rocked our little planets on our taste buds.
Lamb presented with the beautiful addition of the b’stila. A bric pastry celebratory tart, ours shaped like a Dr. Seuss hairdo, with preserved lemon, braided shank, raisin, pistachios
A vintage Corsican Neiccieulu was really breathtaking. You think at first a fuller weightier wine for lamb, but the elevated palate and the bright minerality of these wines just harmonize and sing along.
We had snow! Love that romantic NYC snowfall. And the city gets that hushed stillness, magical.
Our New Year’s Eve this year was really all we could wish for. Many familiar faces and a few new members to add to our roster of never taking care of strangers. It is our own land of Oz.
And everyone looked spectacular.
Chip blessed us all with a deelightful deelicious menu (yes, double ee…)
Trio of Oysters from Montauk
Mignonette, Sabayon, Crispy Fried
Champagne Christan Gosset 2015
Braised Pork a la Trotter
Poulsard, Henri le Roy, Jura
Spanish Mackerel, poached, served chilled, Pomelo, chicories, anchovy vinaigrette
My little favorite aromatic Moscatel from Malaga
Chicken Consomme, knodel
Oloroso Sherry, take me away Calgon! Truly tasty.
Montauk Flounder en roulade, Perigord Black Truffles
A wonderful smelly truffle year, much more intense than last year!
Couturier Pouilly Loche 2014, rich, supple
Sea Scallops, spinach puree, Caviar…funny story about Caviar, gone missing, remind me to tell you!
But thank goodness for fancy neighbors. One White saved our dish and gave us some of their stash.
Do Ferreiro Albarino 2017, obsessed with this wine
Filet Mignon, mushroom tartlet
Anthonic Moulis en Medoc 2016
Cavendish Quail, stuffing of brioche, liver, mushrooms
Rully Rouge
Pear Soufflé!!
Wow.
Thank you, fabulous kitchen team, for bringing it!
Needless to say, my dynamo team continues to be the best team around. I count my blessings.
And so now to a New Year. Always filled with hopes and dreams.
Always looking forward to the evening we get to share your company.
Seeing your names pencilled in my “book” fills us with joy…a sense of home. Your spirit lights up our world.
Take good care of yourselves and those around you.
Never ever give up on what you think life should be, because it can be!
–Chip and Tina
P.S.
Our esteemed colleague, the Queen Bee of Wine, Pascaline Lepeltier, was finally able to come sit in our humble dining room and enjoy a quiet evening with her charming and lovely wife.
We especially love caring for our hard-working fellow restaurant peeps.
Now, I do not do social media, but word has it that she gave us a kind shout-out on her “insta”
Her generosity of spirit is a great way to head into our New Year.
Check her out. Her brain is the bank that holds the wealth of wines. And Chambers, her restaurant, is a perfect place to tuck into on any given night.