What do you have planned fro New Years Eve?....and a little comp

[El Presidente]

Ok, Finally I have time and composure to drop my yarn here.

Let me start by saying I had an incredible new years full of surprises, Great food, Fantastic company, Good drinks and more importantly unforgettably good times!

It was some months ago I'd started throwing around a sketchy plan for new years, My wife and I both knew due to the nature of our work we'd both be here in Adelaide mostly stricken from the Friends and Family we'd just moved away from in Adelaide. Not to let this dampen our spirits we were talking to a friend who was one of my groomsmen also living here in Adelaide and as he was to be here too, We'd all make the effort to have a new years at my place. The plan was simple, A quiet affair, maybe some seafood and some wine. Soon my parents decided they were going to visit as well over the new years period, And Jamie(groomsman) had a new girlfriend so the plan grew some.

As part of a Christmas present to my parents I upgraded plans to a no expense spared seafood and other goodies feast for new years.

Parents came down and started staying with us on the 29th. I was working right up until the 31st. Morning of the 31st I set off to the markets looking for top grade eats. Got my hands on some incredible cheeses, as I explained to Jamie;

"Bastardo del grappa, a cheddar washed in Italian moonshine. La buche affinoise, like a .. Brie.. Distantly.. It's like finding out you have a cousin who wears short red shorts.. And Herve mons bleu de causses, a blue so blue only the French could be responsible. The affinoise is French too, bastard is Italian."

Next was small goods where I indulged in freshly sliced proscuitto, an array of authentic salami's, capocollo, Cacciatore, rolled spicy pancetta, smoked mussels, cured cuttlefish, white anchovies, olives and a few others that evade memory at the moment.

An hour and a half later I'd finished my onslaught into the depths of the Adelaide Central market for fresh herbs, spices and vegetables for seafood dishes and was off to Samtass seafood wholesale. There I was still gun happy and not wanting any of my 4 guests or the wife and I to be be hungry A few of the things I purchased for I naively thought that evening were; dozens of oysters, 3 to go with the dozen my Dad had brought with him. No idea what I was thinking. Kilo and a half of whole Australian Prawns, steaks of sushimi grade tuna and salmon (No king fish there and the Swordfish looked..sad) a box of scampi I believe about 3 dozen scollaps and again a few other bits and pieces that escape me now. It was about 2:30PM at this stage, Well beond when I should of had a beer in my hand! So it was home quickly with my haul to start celebrating new years eve.. And being a chef by trade.. To start making this colossal mountain of food something mouthwatering tantalizing to path the way for the new year.

Not too long a time later, Perhaps 5:30PM? I'm knee deep in the kitchen jungle, Hammer and tongs against it all as my guests are around the kitchen chatting to me and each-other as I prepare platters and have herbed and seasoned cherry tomatoes drying fresh in the oven. At this stage something incredible happens, At the hands of my diabolically sneaky wife my best friend knocks on my door from 400K's away with his mother. Apparently they'd spoken 4 hours earlier and on a spur of the moment decision he'd decided to join me for celebrating in the new year! I was beside myself with joy at the surprise. He and his mother spend the Christmas and new years season together and had done since a year before his father died in a freak accident, which wasn't many years ago. We'd had a carpet bowls tradition running since then, And this year until now it wasn't to be. I'm thanking my lucky stars I'd gone ballistic on food, But I'm also asking myself where on earth 8 people are going to sleep? Little to be known this was only the beginning of what became a 3 day new years celebration.

Many drinks are had, Reminiscing done, Story's told. All in all some of the delicacies I prepared and served up through the night were;

Herbed, seasoned and buttered grilled scampi

Herb crumbed Scollaps aswell as dressed grilled scollaps.

Oysters escebeche, strawberry and lime oysters, oyster kilpatric few others.

Sushimi platter dressed with olive oil, balsamic reduction, shallots, capers, water cres

Cured meats platter

Cheese platter with muscatels, dried apricots, almonds, hazel nuts, australian walnuts, apples, lavosh etc.

Fresh fruit platter, strawberries, mangoes, apricots, nectarines etc.

That's the main call I can recall.. Also fresh prawns, At some point in the night Jamie and my best friend and best man from my wedding Ian had a bit of an inspired moment with the prawns.. Rum may have been involved.. Ian suggested Jamie try one of the prawns eyes, As he assured known as the delicacy "Sea Peas". Jamie obliged.. Provided Ian had one first.. Couple Sea Peas consumed later they suggest I have one, Which was when I first found out about it and was too busy laughing to consider it. Mind you, Many a prawn heads were sucked that evening. Best part as we die hards know.

Somewhere before the platters mind you we went for a walk by the torrens river, Which litterly is accross the road from me and quite scenic, I took a RASS and had my last cigar for 2012. We hung around and watched the ducks and rats run around the river some and then went for a walk for about an hour.

Night went on until about 12:30 when we were all so exhausted it was bed time. Jamie and his partner slept on couch pillows in the room my humidor and bike gear is in, Ian and his mother slept in swags in my dressing room and my parents slept in the living room on the fold out couch, I was amazed we'd found room for everyone.

The next day only Jamie and his partner had to leave the house. Ian had brought with him another kilo prawns, And there was enough left over everything to keep eating through the day. Steph and I did a quick clean of the house and the new years celebrations just continued. About 1:30PM I thought we might need something else for tea, Luckily I had a couple ducks in the freezer so I yanked one out. I had left over herbed crumbs from the scollaps, Quite allot actually, And oranges for fruit platters.. So for dinner.. Duck L'orange! I boned out my duck, stuffed it with the crumbs and some juice from the oranges, and rubbed the skin in salt. I was about to roll and tie it when disaster! No baking twine! We all looked around for an alternative, And after butchering the nylon from the draw string on the blinds, Settled on gum tree twins that Lee(Ians Mother) carefully selected from the garden in the absence of skewers and tooth picks aswell! I set that aside and made a stock from the roasted bones and reduced that with some other chefs secrets for my sauce. Tragedy averted! Duck L'Orange and roast veg for tea it was! Not bad for things I had kicking around! And Jamie's new partner was bringing a lemon lime cheese cake!

Another fantastic night, comparing a love of motorcycles, Leonard cohen and who knows what else! Also the night we all played carpet bowls in a 2 halved round robin style with I think 19 rounds per half. We split it to the above and below 30's teams of 2 2's, The below 30's team won, But not by much. Lee's a formidable bowls player, A champion of all lawn bowls, carpet and ten pin. Ians no stranger to competition either. Us inexperienced amateurs had a lucky day! Most improved on the night was my Dad, Who started off having trouble getting it up. But managed to follow through beautifully later in the night. Needless to say.. It turns out the innuendo's the game of bowls provides are both hilarious, and endless. It was also a great sentiment for Ian, Lee, Steph and I to be playing another year in a row.

Following and final day as everyone was heading off around 1 before I had to return to work. Last of what was left was consumed and Lee had asked for Garlic prawns, So I whipped some up for lunch and as I did that low and behold everyone chipped in and rearranged the house for Steph and I and cleaned it without a word needing to be said. Steph had to return to work at 7AM that morning so it was fantastic for both of us to after such a big 3 days have a house all of a sudden clean and tidy again.

Heartfelt goodbyes were said and everyone parted ways about 1 except for Jamie and his partner who couldn't make it due to a mysterious illness I suspect connected to alcohol and sea peas.

As they were getting into their cars and leaving I noticed another car behind there's, My landlord had turned up to see the hoards leaving my humble abode.. A good look surely! Lucky strike they'd cleaned the house before they left!

She was there to check the kitchen with an insurance plumber after a leak.. who kindly without telling me left in a hurry after he'd somehow bumped my iPhone into the kitchen sink full of soapy water. Which miraculously survived and lived to tell the tale after a few hiccups and lots of blow drying.

Worth mentioning is how rewarding it was having such quality friends around me in the end for new years. Although I did allot of preparing and cooking and spent a few quid, Compensation couldn't have been offered more (somewhat annoyingly to me). And a dish wasn't left long on the sink before someone quickly washed and dryed it and put it away for steph and I, aswell as tidying the house all the time and just generally being amazing and humbling friends and guests.

It was an incredible 3 day new years for me that I think won't soon be surpassed.

I'd spent some time pondering which of my cigars to have for the big celebration.. And in the end I got so caught up in it I'd forgot to have one. So it was fortunate for that humble little Rass I'd had earlier on.

To the quality and enjoyment you've added to my life with your Czar operation this year El Prez, Thankyou.

And thankyou to the Czar community also for the countless hours of reading and entertainment I've found here.

I had a year that was all over the shop, And I don't think I'm into smooth sailing yet, But progress is a journey and I've got a 1st class ticket with my wife, friends and what I'm aiming to achieve.

Cheers to 2012, And bring on 2013!

As Prez would say, The start sure has been a cracker!

Andrew.

Andrew

Contact me for the 3 aged CORO. Great stuff mate

[AndrewNR]

You got me there with those twigs. hahaah

If you look closely to the upper right of the picture, That's a butchered draw string from one of the blinds too. Until we realized it was nylon.

Andrew

Contact me for the 3 aged CORO. Great stuff mate

Thanks Rob! Caps off an incredible new years! Really still am in awe of it fantastic to win something because of it too

[mk05]

If you look closely to the upper right of the picture, That's a butchered draw string from one of the blinds too. Until we realized it was nylon.

HAHA! Did the bird have a "smoky" flavor?

[Ryan]

My wife and I were asleep by 10:00 on New Years Eve but December 30 was a blast. It was our last night in Dublin and we had planned to relax by the fire. Then I received a call from FOH's newest Moderator stating that he and some BOTLs were going to the pub for a pint and a smoke. We met Andy and company a while later and had a pint and a smoke. And another pint. And another. And a whisky. While we sat a outside and smoked with Conor, Lonon, Emmie (at this point my name recall skills ran out so I am making this up) Louisa from Doc Martin and the son of O'Brien, the engineer from Star Trek Next Generation, my wife Agnes (her real name) discovered who we knew in common. I was delighted to learn that Conor used to own one of my favorite pubs in Seattle. It still bears his name but unfortunately seems to feature bluegrass msuic instead of Celtic. By the time we returned to the house, it was 12:30 am. Our cab was coming to collect us at 4:00 so we just stayed up until then. Aer Lingus to Amsterdam where we had 90 minutes to go out through immigration, collect our bags and clear Customs, go upstairs and check in to standby for our flight to Minneapolis. Then it was back through passport control and off to the gate. We made it and settled into Business Class with time for drinks before pushing back. Thanks again, Andy for the custom rolls! I look forward to the day the temp gets up to 0 so I can enjoy one.

Great to see you and Agnes, DrGuano! I'm sorry I didn't get any pictures that night. As the saying goes, it's a small world! Thank you very much for that Canadian RA, lovely cigar.

Hi to Agnes for me, I haven't seen Cormac since to ask him about Conor for your sister!

Hopefully see you in London in May/June.

[mbrody]

Sorry for posting late...I had to break up festivities into two nights:

First: Monte 520 and some Sam Adams Utopia as my pre New Year celebration smoke. Mine was a little tighter than the other 520's I have smoked, but it was rich and bellowing smoke. 91

Second: Family Dinner where I made an Atipast and then cooked a HUGE beef tenderloin, which I credit David for the recipe

It was a very good new year's eve!