December Wrapped up in a Pretty Post

The first course of dinner - Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Truffled Croutons . . . to be followed by house-made pate with pickled pomegranate seeds, pickled and spiced cantaloupe and escarole salad with a maple syrup-mustard dressing and champagne . . . to be followed by a palate-cleansing cranberry sorbet (courtesy of Mother) . . . to be followed by roast quail with chestnut and pear stuffing, braised escarole and parsnip-potato-leek gratin . . . to be followed by manchego cheese and raisin chutney and an aged port wine . . . to be followed by homemade pine nut ice cream (again, courtesy of Mother and the hit of the meal!) and cookies and digestifs.

Sailor enjoys his last winter by gazing at the blizzard outside.

The coats. scarves and hats of dinner guests always prove irresistible to Sailor Page.

Posing for Daddy.

A holiday table setting.

Cafe Drake's homemade pate with cornichons, rye toast and pickled pomegranate seeds.

Mother and Miki enjoy a Christmas dinner at Cafe Drake. The multi-course meal included a Shepherd's Pie of lamb and fluffy mustard mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts with chestnuts and a special, raw-milk aged bleu cheese.

Mother, Jen L and Jorge.

Christmas Decorations in Greenpoint.

At Columbia County's Michelin-starred Le Bouchon, where we indulged in a decadent mid-day meal of Steak Tartare and iron skillet Cassoulet.

Jorge snacks before the Big Meal to come . . .

Dinner at Cafe Drake with Jorge and Jen Lazzaro.

(for some reason we can't remove the double photo of Gougeres and a cocktail made from fresh Mandarin orange juice, vodka and bay leaf syrup)

Relaxin' at Cafe Drake.

Ice cold Manhattans are always the very essence of the Holidays at Cafe Drake.

Drinks in front of the tree.

The Cloisters museum.

Upper Upper Upper Manhattan's snowy Fort Tryon Park.

The Cloisters.

A New Leaf Cafe in Ft. Tryon Park - housed in a 1930's WPA-sponsored stone cottage, this gem of an eatery stirs up gorgeous Pumpkin Martinis as well as delicious and elegant lunch fare. Full review to follow soon.

Cold and windy and beautiful Cold Spring, NY, nestled on the Hudson River at the foot of the Catskills Mountains.

Discovered roadside.

Mother at Palisades State Park.

Raynman Hall in Oyster Bay, NY.

At Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, Long Island. The estate belonged to President Teddy Roosevelt and is now a fascinating house museum.

Chicken with Green Mango

The D P Chutney Collective sets up shop at the Greenpoint Food Market.
Check out a few more photos at Eating in Translation's Flickr photostream here.