How to Celebrate the New Year?

According to the WSJournal today, David Chang's biggest gripe is his struggle to find a substitute for pork belly in his pork buns! As he ventures out to Sydney to open his new restaurant in 2011, he is concerned that he has become so reliant on pork belly that he is not innovating...good grief! I can think of lots of issues to be more concerned about....change it to lamb bun and use shank - delicious - who needs all that fat from the belly anyway? Or try lamb belly. Lots of chefs are experimenting with animal belly - certain to be succulent but do we really need the most fat possible?

My hope for 2011's food scene is that more people will slow down and appreciate simple, less processed high quality foods high in flavor derived from both cooking technique, layering textures and spices/herbs.

Relax and enjoy a great cup of tea/coffee and a perfectly cream cheese spread bagel or try cracking fresh nuts- any kind- feel how your teeth sink into the meat. Sometimes, myself included, we inhale our foods and don't taste. So, this coming year - take a great piece of chocolate and let it melt over your tongue- don't chew it. I dare you to see how long you can make it.

To kick off this resolution of mine, tonight we prepare a feast instead of a dining out. This a Spanish influenced tapas meal - lots of tiny bites

Cold Course: Artichoke, Hearts of Palm & Fennel salad.

Warm Course: Assorted bite size puff pastries filled with dollop of brie and homemade brandied pears, sweetened cream cheese/ricotta blended with apricot preserves, herbed goat cheese with homemade pickled cherries

Main Course: Homemade classic Romesco sauce to pair with fresh baked olive fougasse, a few seared scallops, baked clams, and a couple crab claws. Romesco is a perfect pair with seafood. Just a dab will do ya. Shockingly the Financial Times' Life & Arts section today featured a blurb on Romesco. Truly one of the best sauces in my opinion.

Dessert: Variety of tiny bites of cheese, fresh sliced fruit, homemade whipped cream and a few chocolate truffles

We will not need to eat for a week! Happy New Year!