Another Year, Another Guinness Cake

Guinness Cake, originally uploaded by gfiorillo.

Two weeks ago, as we were looking at the pile unpacked boxes, and the mess that the home was I doubted I could pull off another Christmas Party. But after 14 years, how could I not.

Normally I am planning in September, writing invitations in November and have a detailed plan of attack by the week before. This year I spent the week of the party searching for menus, sending Jack all over downtown for cake pans and bottled chestnuts, and downing Nyquill for the two days before praying that I wouldn't be running a fever the day of the party and missing out.

But although I still can't breathe through my nose, the party came off without a hitch. And as most of the dishes are washed, and we snack on cookies and rice krispie treats for breakfast while leftovers are packed up for lunch for the week I'm happy that we went ahead. As C said, it was mellower - maybe due to the fact that most of J's friends weren't there, or maybe we are all just getting a little older and enjoy good wine, good food and good conversation to the kegger booze fests of our younger days but I like it this way. To me, there's no better way for me to give my friends presents than to cook for them.

I made "my" Guinness Cake, which at 6 inches high was an impressive centerpiece to dessert. The Martini Salmon was a tried and true recipie, and the pork roast was from one of my favorite cookbooks, that has never let me down. So for last minute recipe hunting, it all came together pretty well, and I only spent a few hours in the kitchen on the day of the party.

One thing I forgot however was to make my toast. So to those who were there, and those who missed, know that there is no better joy for me than to be surrounded by all of you year after year. I wish you the merriest of Christmas, and thank you for making life so enjoyable the other 364 days of the year!