Bonne Année!

Surf and turf: the former for New Year's Eve, the latter for New Year's Day.

Salmon appetizer from the St Genis traiteur on rocket (or roquette)

King crab from Carrefour (a first: we've never seen this in Europe before) and langouste (spiny lobster) from the Caribbean via Picard

Myrna's cookies, filled with lemon cheese made from the citrons produced by our very own tree—cookie recipe at bottom of post (next time I'll make sure I have festive cutters: I got rid of them when we downsized since I didn't then have a recipe for cookies that were delicious and kept their shape)

Ready for midnight

Flugelhorn rendition of Auld Lang Syne—both our neighbors and my parents were treated to this

New Year's Day: osso buco with gremolata. Michael made this while I was talking on the phone with Cheri. Recipe again from Goldstein's The Mediterranean Kitchen

c/o Myrna

Glazed Butter Cookies

from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine,

from the PBS programme, America’s Test Kitchen

Makes 3 dozen cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup super fine sugar (process in Cuisinart if necessary)

1/4 tsp salt

8 oz (1 cup) butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp cream cheese

jam or lemon curd for filling

icing sugar to dust with

1. In food processor, mix flour, sugar and salt until combined.

2. Add butter one tbsp at a time and continue to process until mixture

looks crumbly and slightly wet.

3. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix until dough just begins to form

large clumps.

4. Remove dough from food processor and knead for 2 or 3 turns to

form large cohesive mass.

5. Divide into 4 disks and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20 - 30

minutes.

6. Roll into even 1/8 inch thickness between 2 sheets of parchment

paper. (Do not add more flour to the dough!) and cut into shapes. You

need 2 shapes for each cookie. Cut out part of top shape if you wish

so that the filling shows of just make a “sandwich” of the cookie

layers.

7. Repeat with 3 other disks of dough. Scraps may be patted together to

form larger disks as you work.

8. Bake at 375o F for 10 minutes until firm and lightly browned. Cool

completely.

9. Spread filling (jam, lemon curd) on bottom cookie and cover with top

cookie. Dust with icing sugar, using a small sieve. May be frozen for a

month. (I have left them in the freezer for longer than that and they

were still good.)

cjw: Since I was using lemon cheese, I substituted lemon juice for vanilla. Also discovered that while Carrefour doesn't stock Philadelphia cream cheese, fromage à tartiner nature is an excellent substitute.