Farewell to 2015!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a marvellous time during your Christmas and New Year holidays.

I had a small dinner party at home on New Year’s Eve. It was almost cancelled at the last minute because of the storm which grew in violence in the village before the clock struck the midnight hour. During the day, the whole village was covered with the sea foam and mist driven onward by the wind in agitation. The village and its inhabitants seemed to enter the dim obscurity of a dreamland, the untracked wilderness in the middle of elemental treacherousness as if the whole of our existence was fading off into formless haze. People in the village on that day did not witness either sunrise or sunset upon the horizon.



The news on the wireless said that there are thousands of people in the west coast without electricity and my heart goes out to those who had to abandon their homes before Christmas because their properties were flooded during the rain storm. It shows that although we choose the safest sites for human habitation for centuries, the elements are not to be relied upon especially during the winter months in which the communities are exposed to the direct danger.

The village harbour was covered with the sea foams and waves driven onward by the wind in agitation.

I was relieved that the guests and Gordon arrived to my house for our dinner party without any danger during their journey on the road. They were kind enough to tell me that the moment they found themselves inside my house, they knew that they would be safe and sound. I like the idea of being tucked away safely inside the house, my cave of refuge, while the storm howls on and the wind shrieks outside the windows.

Inside the house, one becomes conscious of perfect tranquillity – open fire, books, candles, flowers and furniture, everything is at rest and all breathe the same peace and silent promptitude of nature. In this quiet atmosphere, we were all so grateful to be together, sharing the most intimate time before our holidays are drawing to a close. Our thoughtful conversations, exchanging idea and laughter were what I cherished most of all. 

Scotch quail eggs with salad (Starter)



The meal that I prepared for our dinner party was absolutely simple and abstemious. For starter, I cooked scotch eggs (I used quail eggs instead) fried gently in olive oil and salad. I left the guests and Gordon to entertain themselves in the sitting room while they were talking about Christopher Marlowe's The Passionate Shepherd to His Love (Elizabethan Pastoral Poetry) which did not much attract me.    

The music for the evening was from the CD titled Baroque Guitar Quartets played by The English Guitar Quartet (2006). It is one of my favourite CDs to play when I have dinner parties at home. I love this kind of soothing music which transports the listeners to the gentler and more romantic time.  

My main course was an improvised version of the French dish from Provence. It is called Poussins Farcis: small chickens stuffed with olives.

Beautifully illustrated cookery books by Leslie Forbes titled A Table in Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987) and A Table in Tuscany: Classic Recipes from the Heart of Italy (1985)

The recipe of this dish (Poussins Farcis: small chickens stuffed with olives) is available in the beautifully illustrated cookery book by Leslie Forbes titled A Table in Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987). This cookery book is the second book, published a couple of years after she wrote A Table in Tuscany: Classic Recipes from the Heart of Italy in 1985.  

A Table in Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987) Collected and Illustrated by Leslie Forbes

 

The Map of Provence in A Table in Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987) Collected and Illustrated by Leslie Forbes



I love the colourful illustrations in A Table in Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987) Collected and Illustrated by Leslie Forbes

A Table in Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987) Collected and Illustrated by Leslie Forbes

Book cover: About the author, from A Table in Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987) Collected and Illustrated by Leslie Forbes

(Book cover) A Table in Tuscany: Classic Recipes from the heart of Italy (1985) Collected and Illustrated by Leslie Forbes



(Main Course) Poussins Farcis: chickens with olives, potatoes and vegetables (my improvised recipe, inspired by the French cuisine from Leslie Forbes' cookery book, A Table in Provence.



Instead of using the whole chicken, I cut them into small pieces and put them in an oiled casserole dish and cooked them slowly in the oven. The extra ingredients that I added for this dish are courgettes, potatoes, thin slices of lemon and a lot of fresh herbs.  

The unexpected culinary surprise for the evening was the most beautiful cake Gordon baked, Tian à l'orange, based on the recipe from his grandmother. It was absolutely out of this world - the most delicious cake that I've ever tasted!

(Dessert) Everyone at the dinner party ate a piece of Tian à l'orange. It did not stay too long on the plate.

As for dessert, I baked a simple Victorian sponge with icing (the first image illustrated in this post) the day before. But Gordon outdid himself and surprised us all with his home-baked and the most delicious Tian à l'orange, a recipe from his grandmother. It was not surprising that after the main course, nobody gave my rather boring Victorian Sponge a second glance! Instead, everyone wanted to eat a slice of light and fluffy cake, beautifully baked by Gordon. At the end of the evening, we were all stimulated by the good food, drinks, conversations, music and the prospect of New Year before us. It seemed to be a fit opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful new year.

Outside, the storm was still raging and everything looked rather dull and colourless. But there was no dullness in us as we welcomed in the New Year with clinked glasses and cheerful handshakes. From the dining room’s windows, we watched a group of villagers pulling ropes at the church tower to set the bells in motion at 12 o' clock. The tearing tempest and gale whirled through the sleepy village. The tolling bells from the church echoed in our hearts while we were reminded by this pearl of wisdom: "Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day." (Macbeth, Act I, Sc. 3.)

 

May all your dreams come true in 2016. Wishing everyone happiness, peace, good health and prosperity. Happy New Year!