Happy 2012, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful December 31st. For the first time (since I was about 15) I made plans to stay in. After countless years of dressing up in glitter, spending way too much on a cover charge or a prix fix meal and participating in general holiday debauchery, I decided to change it up. I jumped on the "I'm excited to stay at home on NYE and cook" bandwagon (I turn 28 this year, after all) and had one of the best yet. Adam enticed me with his grand plans of a lobster dinner and from there we put together a menu.
Boiled Lobster - market fresh
(from The North End Mercato del Mare)
1 1/2 lb lobster with melted butter
Mussels Fra Diavolo - mussels steamed in white wine
bathing in a spicy red sauce with fresh parsley and toasted bread
Baby Red Russet Potatoes - olive oil & balsamic roasted
Roasted Asparagus - in olive oil, salt & pepper
1 1/2 lb lobster with melted butter
Mussels Fra Diavolo - mussels steamed in white wine
bathing in a spicy red sauce with fresh parsley and toasted bread
Baby Red Russet Potatoes - olive oil & balsamic roasted
Roasted Asparagus - in olive oil, salt & pepper
On new years eve afternoon we purchased our seafood at Mercato del Mare, our vegetables at Haymarket, stocked up on necessary amounts of beer, wine and prosecco and settled in for a leisurely night of cooking, drinking, eating and watching the ball drop on TV.
drinks round 1 | Lindeman's Framboise Lambic
drinks round 2 | Lindeman's Pomme Lambic
drinks round 3 | Sauvignon Blanc 
drinks round 4 | Adami Prosecco
We had ourselves a serious feast! We don't cook together that often to be quite honest, so I was pretty proud of how well this one came together. Somehow we timed everything perfectly and all of it was really really delicious. 
Not just another day, but a poignant mark in the passage of time, I believe New Years deserves all the celebration we can give, whether that means partying like its 1999 or staying in and cooking the night away. How did you ring in the new year?
We actually did the same thing, stayed in and cooked. I'm jealous of your lobsters and mussels though! I actually fell asleep after eating the feast though and woke up at 10 past midnight with my boyfriend snoozing on the couch next to me!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice evening with great food! For the first time, we got all dressed up and went out. We had a good time but getting home from downtown Boston was quite a challenge and my feet were killing me, so I may take your advice for next year and stay home!
ReplyDeleteYour meal looks gorgeous! I ended up too sick to cook, so we ordered pizza and watched Homeland :) It was still nice.
ReplyDeleteHappiest of New Year's to you and Adam, and I look forward to a fun 2012 with you. Drinks soon!
Everything looks so good! You guys must have had an amazing evening in. I love staying in for New Year's, but this year we met some friends out in Boston for a drink and then headed back to our neighborhood and joined some other friends for dinner and the ball drop at their house.
ReplyDeleteWe had a very similar evening in and absolutely loved it! This is the first New Year's Eve we spent in together and I'm looking forward to doing it again next year! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an excellent time for New years! Happy 2012!
ReplyDeleteWhat a spread! It kind of makes me wish I had stayed in and cooked up a feast -- but it was fun ringing in 2012 with friends! Maybe next year :)
ReplyDeletethis is what i need to do next year. errr, this year? ha. LOVE the slippers. happy new year!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great way to ring in new year...and a yummy one too! We have a great recipe for Jamon-Wrapped Asparagus in our cookbook, so we think your asparagus needed a blanket. Hahahaha! We'll be following and adding your to our blog roll! Cheers, Ashleigh & Tiffani, The Drinking Girls
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a really relaxing and fun evening. Your feast looks very scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your photo documentation of the whole night! Looks like you two had a blast and quite the feast! Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteGood company, good eats and good drinks are about all you need on New Year's. In particular, those mussels look incredible. Happy 2012!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like the PERFECT night in! We traveled to NYC to see some close friends and eat loads of NY bagels and pizza.
ReplyDeletewow! that looks like such a fun meal to cook and eat together!...and I love your slippers! :)
ReplyDeleteYour feast rocked! Much better than going out. Oh and I like your boots/slippers. Too cute!
ReplyDeleteDo you want to know something SO sad? Two years ago Dave and I stayed in and made a lovely elaborate dinner: polenta with braised mushrooms, some sort of salad, and port-poached figs. Later that night I was struck with food poisoning and got violently ill. Now staying and making an elaborate meal for NYE just makes me think of that night. Some year soon we'll do it again so I can get rid of that association.
ReplyDeleteThe meal you and Adam prepared was fit for a King & Queen! The muscles look fantastically delicious! Good for you two. I worked The Harvest Gallery Wine Bar in Dennis. Dancing in the New Year with The Chandler Travis Band!
ReplyDeleteHoly Feast Batman!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!!
what a feast! everything looks fantastic :)
ReplyDeletei love lobster but am terrified by the idea of cooking it at home. you make it look so easy.
ReplyDeletehappy new year!
Now that's an awesome meal, everything looks soooo good :) We stayed in too and it was very relaxing.
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