Lost Camera

I misplaced my camera for several weeks, so most of December's food didn't get blogged. I did get a picture of a beautiful salad I made for Christmas dinner. I roasted beets, peeled, chilled, and sliced them. I peeled a couple of ripe persimmons and cut them into slices, and I added the seeds of one pomegranate. I layered these ingredients over field greens and drizzled the salad with fresh lemon juice and olive oil. I find the colors compelling, but the flavors and textures were just as dazzling, I'm sure I will be using this trilogy of ingredients again.

We started with Champangoes (champagne and mango nectar) garnished with star fruit.

Up first were oysters "Bonne Femme" which I thought meant "pretty woman". Most Bonne Femme dishes also include potatoes-this one doesn't-just a rich bechamel flavored with sherry. Crab and sauteed peppers and shallot are folded into the bechamel before being spooned onto oysters resting in their half shells. They are quickly run under a hot broiler until they are bubbling and slightly browned.

I also roasted a tenderloin and sauced it with Morel-Onion Marmalade-sorry no pictures, I hope I can get back into the habit of carrying my camera again and taking better care of it. I did manage to get a couple of pictures of my festive dining room with its vintage Santa collection