Desserts

Mandole-Crémeux, Quince Purée, Caramel Apple, Rosemary Oil, Cassis Sorbetto: Ai Fiori
Two of the worst desserts I’ve ever had were served to me during a tasting dinner at Corton in 2009. They were created by the pastry chef at that time, Robert Truitt. At a subsequent dinner at Corton, Truitt’s desserts were only a bit better. Fast forward to the opening of Ai Fiori in the fall of 2010. Truitt is now the pastry chef there. We had our first dinner at Ai Fiori at the end of January. I never expected to like any of his desserts much less to have one that could ever land on any “best of” list. So, you can imagine how shocked I am that this dessert has done just that. It had several moving parts, all of which worked deliciously together, the cassis sorbetto being especially divine. I should note that I didn’t order this. It was comped to me because of a glitch earlier in the meal.

Flan, Coffee Caramel Sauce, Fresh Berries Pico de Gallo: Toloache
Simple. Flawlessly executed. Delicious.

Baba au Rhum, Fresh Orange, Whipped Cream: La Promenade des Anglais
It’s hard for me to pass up a baba. I had four in 2011. Ai Fiori’s oddly-shaped baba was a disappointment. Not enough rum. Café Boulud’s and The Modern Dining Room’s were excellent. But the one I had at the newly-opened La Promenade was outstanding. Sitting in a little pool of rum, the baba was accompanied by a few orange segments and a lovely dollop of whipped cream. the rum soaking was of the Goldilocks variety: not too weak, not too strong, but just right. I loved it some much, I had it again during our second dinner there. Just as perfect!

Home Baked Blueberry Pie: Mo’ Greens Roast House BBQ
This must have been the year for old-fashioned pie in restaurants. I had four. There was Cherry Pie with Buttermilk Ice Cream at The Dutch and Cherry Pie with Whipped Cream at Mo’ Greens Roast House BBQ. At Casa Mono, there was Warm Pumpkin & Apple Pie with Caramel Ice Cream. All were excellent. But the one that really knocked me out was the Blueberry Pie served with a tower of whipped cream at Mo’ Greens. The crust was super flaky, and the filling had amazing blueberry flavor. On a cold day in March, it was as though the summer blueberry season had suddenly arrived.

Mascarpone Cheesecake, Fennel Shortbread, Meyer Lemon Confit, Grapefruit Sorbet: Union Square Café
I’m usually leery about ordering cheesecake because so many of them are too dense. This one was anything but. The incredibly smooth and creamy circle of cheese sat on a crisp fennel crust. The Meyer lemon “confit”and the grapefruit sorbet were the perfect tangy accompaniments. Another dessert that so enraptured me, I ordered it again the next time we had lunch at USC.

Soufflé au Caramel: La Grenouille
La Grenouille is known for their soufflés. The caramel version is truly luscious. I had it both times we had lunch there this past year.

“Pink Champagne” Cake, Grapefruit Sorbet: Oceana
In addition to being a taste sensation, this was the most interesting dessert of the year. It came accompanied by a card from Pastry Chef Janson Chen with an explanation of its construction on one side and the recipe on the other.

Dessert With Rhubarb Soup Soup: Junoon
I didn’t take notes, and it was never listed on the on-line menu , so other than the rhubarb soup, I never did get the exact name of this dessert or the other elements. Indian restaurants are not exactly famous for their desserts, so it was shocking how delicious this one was.

Coconut Rice Pudding, Red Wine Glazed Roasted Figs, Candied Almonds, and Ginger Ice Cream: Junoon
It’s incredible to me that two desserts in an Indian restaurant made this list. But what can I say? I hadn’t eaten a rice pudding in ages, and this was the most delicious one I ever remember having. It was suffused with coconut flavor, enhanced by the red wine-glazed figs (which just happen to be one of my favorite fruits), and went over the top with the ginger ice cream. Amazing!

Warm Toffee Pudding, Toffee Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream: The Peacock Inn
Toffee Pudding, sticky or otherwise, is one of my favorite desserts. In 2011, I ordered it at three different restaurants. During two overall disappointing meals at the revamped Veritas (previously one of our favorite restaurants), the only course I liked was dessert. Called “Dark and Stormy,” the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Ginger Lime Ice Cream was very good. Likewise, the Sticky Toffee Pudding at Blue Smoke. But The Peacock’s Warm Toffee Pudding was a total mind-blower. The pudding was sweet without being cloying, and when combined with the luscious toffee sauce and my favorite ice cream, vanilla, it became what my dessert dreams are made of.

Red Velvet Cake: Untitled
Hard to believe, but I’d never had Red Velvet Cake before. Michael had never even heard of it. We ended up having two different ones two days in a row. The one at Hill Country BBQ was the second one we tried. We actually ordered it to make a comparison. It was quite good. But Untitled’s version with its moist cake and luscious icing was superb. (Note: It didn’t come with ice cream, but Michael ordered vanilla ice cream for his dessert, so I ate some along with the cake.)

Raisin: Corton
When Truitt left Corton, Shawn Gawle became the pastry chef. That thrilled me because I adored Gawle’s desserts when he was at Veritas during the time Grégory Pugin was helming the kitchen. I could return to Corton safe in the knowledge that dessert would not be a disappointment. Now, here’s the thing. I detest raisins. But there I was at the end of our tasting dinner at Corton ecstatic over a dessert in which those little suckers were an integral part — within the pastry and in the accompanimnent. That is Gawle’s genius.

Cheesecake, Cranberry and Lime Crumble: Eleven Madison Park
Technically, a pre-dessert. Introduced to the menu in December. We had it at our last meal of the year there at the end of the month. In a word: WOW!

Sweet Treats below the fold.

Sweet Treats

Bomboloni con Crema – Donuts with Cream and Brioche Caramellato – Toffee-Glazed Brioche: Maialino
We rarely eat breakfast out. But we had breakfast out twice in 2011, both times at Maialino. I had heard raves about the Bomboloni, and those accolades were truly well-deserved. But I’d heard no previous reports about the Brioche. Yeah, it’s that toffee thing again. Fantastic!

Red Velvet Cupcake: Big Booty Bread
After having enjoyed our initial forays into the world of the red velvet cake, I was excited to learn on Chowhound that there was a bakery not far from our apartment – a bakery I’d somehow never heard of before – that made delicious red velvet cupcakes. So, now that we were on the trail of red velvet sweets, we hurried on over. The cupcake did not disappoint.

Cones Ice Cream
I’d heard about Cones but had never been. Michael and I shared a cup with three flavors: Zabayon, Tiramisu, Dulce de Leche with Chips. Smooth and creamy with superb flavors, these were seriously delicious ice creams.

Affogato: ‘inoteca
Though I’m not a big coffee drinker and would never even consider having espresso on its own, I adore affogatos. ‘inoteca makes a sterling one. I’ve had them there several times before, but it had been a long time since we’d been there. It was the perfect end to a late supper in December.

Macarons
Can we say that 2011 was the year of the macaron? There has certainly been an onslaught of macarons in New York City. I had not heard of Macaron Parlor Patisserie until we came across the booth at the Madison Square Park Eats in the fall. We bought a box, and they were very fine macarons. The most unusual flavor was the Candied Bacon with Maple Cream.

The arrival of Ladurée to the UES set off an absolute frenzy – people lining up around the block and waiting an hour or more to get these fabled macarons. I refuse to wait on line for more than 10 or 15 minutes for any food no matter how fabulous it may be. So, I got my first taste of these macarons when J and the P.G. brought them to our Purim dinner. And, yes, they are fantastic. I did eventually condescend to wait on line with Michael and J. for half an hour to get some. But that was only because we had to kill time between brunch and meeting up with the P.G. at the Frick Museum, which is just around the corner from Ladurée. If I was forced to pick my favorite flavor, it would probably be the cassis.

Egg Cream: Eleven Madison Park
One of the many, many things I love about EMP is their ability to be a bit playful with their menu. That playfulness is on full display with the egg cream, which they introduced in April. Having it prepared tableside adds to the enjoyment. I’m an egg cream fanatic. I grew up drinking them and regularly make them at home. EMP’s egg cream is not the classic version; nevertheless, it is wonderful.

Bien Cuit
Regular readers know that one of the most exciting things that happened in 2011 was the opening in July of Bien Cuit, the bakery owned by cousins Kate Wheatcroft and her baker husband, Zach Golper. (You can search this site for the posts I’ve writtn about it.) In addition to his phenomenal breads, Zach makes truly delicious pastries. While I’ve loved all the ones we’ve tried, two are my favorites: the Chocolate & Raspberry Financier and the Chocolate Tart. It’s interesting to note that of all the desserts and sweets I’ve talked about in this post, these are the only ones that involve chocolate. It isn’t that I don’t like chocolate. I do. But finding chocolate desserts that really send me is never easy. Happily, Zach has managed to do so.

Thursday’s is more difficult than Sunday’s; however, I usually manage to get at least part of it. It’s so rare that I ever complete a Thursday puzzle, that when I do, I feel both astonished and exhilarated.

This is the first of three. I would find it an impossible task to rank these dishes in hierarchical order. So, instead, they are listed chronologically. For those of you who have read The Foie Gras Queen post, you will find quite a few of those dishes here. Also note that I’ve included a few dishes I’ve had in years prior and repeated in 2011. Having never done lists in those years when they would have been included, I felt they rightfully belong here.

And so, to the list….

Arroz con Pato (For Two): Nuela
We’ve had the arroz de pato at Aldea several times, and it’s always been seriously delicious. But this version totally knocked our gustatory socks off! The inclusion of foie gras really pushed it over the edge for me. It was perfectly prepared as were all the other parts of this dish.

Tandoor Grilled Lamb Chops: Tulsi
Hemant Mathur’s signature. I first tasted them years ago when he cooked briefly at Amma. Then, again, while he was at Devi.  They’ve amazed me every time.

Foie Gras Seared with Kumquats and Baby Turnip: Eleven Madison Park

Duck, Honey and Lavender Glazed, Roasted, with Kumquats and Turnips: Eleven Madison Park
I have, of course, had Chef Humm’s storied duck many times before. It is for me THE best duck!

Maialino al Forno: Maialino
We had this once before.  We shared it the first time with our friend steakrules85.  This time, we shared it with J and the P.G.  Both times, we all cleaned that platter so not a speck remained.   Crispy, crispy skin and juicy, juicy meat 

Torchon Foie Gras au Nature, Spiced Figs, Ormeasco Mostarda, Pistachios, Brioche Toast: Ai Fiori

Grilled Calves Liver with White Polenta, Sweet Onions, Sage, and White Grain Mustard: Cafe Boulud
I wrote all about this dish in this post.

Piccione: Roasted Breast of Squab, Liquid Foie Gras Croquette, Parsnip Purée, Sauce Madère: Ai Fiore
Squab, foie gras, and parsnips — three of my favorite foods on the same plate. Perfection!

Uovo: Slow Poached Egg, Lobster Knuckle, Crispy Sweetbreads, Nuage Layon: Ai Fiori
I usually don’t love dishes with poached eggs, but when combined with the lobster and sweetbreads and topped with that nuage? What can I say? Ambrosial!

80-Day Dry Aged Waygu: Roberta’s
The most phenomenal beef I have ever tasted!

Potato-Fromage Blan Gnocchi with Escargots, Wild Mushrooms, and Garlic Nage: Bar Room at The Modern
M and I split this dish. We both had the same reaction: “OMG!”

Grilled Dover Sole with Mustard Sauce: La Grenouille
I had it once in 2010 and twice in 2011. The sole is superior, and as the French would say, “Le sauce moutarde c’est tout!”

Foie Gras with Cinco Cebollas: Casa Mono
When my friend uhockey learned that, surprising as it may sound, I hadn’t had this dish, he said it was a mind-blowing must for a foie gras addicts. He, of course, spoke the truth.

Waygu Beef and Foie Gras “Damier” with Passion Fruit Gastrique: The Modern Dining Room
The flavors were as astounding as the design.

Rotisserie Duck Over Rice, Ginger Scallion, Ssam Sauce, Crispy Shallot: Momofuku Ssam Bar
If there could ever be a rival to EMP’s magnificent duck, this one would be it.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Pancetta, Pecorino, and Mint: Union Square Cafe
Spring on a plate. I raved so much, they gave me a copy of the recipe.

The rest below the fold…

Anatra e Ciliegie: Pecan Duck Breast and Leg, Brooks Cherries, Turnips, and Spinach: Lincoln

Foie Gras Terrine with Strawberry, Yuzu, and Black Pepper: Eleven Madison Park

Giannone Chicken for Two Cooked in a Clay Pot: Ciano
So fantastic the first time M and I shared it, we ordered it “for the table” at a family dinner the day after Thanksgiving. No crisp skin but meat that is incredibly juicy and succulent.

Organic Scottish Salmon “En Croute” with White Asparagus, Pickled Red Onions, and Red Wine Reduction: The Peacock Inn
The gorgeous presentation knocked me out. A fantastic dish, one of the best salmon dishes I’ve ever had.

Chicken Roasted with Farro, Sweet Corn, and Chanterelles: Eleven Madison Park

Clambake: Eleven Madison Park
A blast!

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms, Parmesan, and Parsley: Eleven Madison Park (Visiting Chef Mauro Colagreco)
Chef Colagreco envisions this dish as representing the forest floor. It certainly floored me!

House Cured Terrine of Foie Gras, Roasted Black Mission Fig, Rhubarg and Riesling Gelée: Tocqueville

Foie Gras “A la Plancha,” Caramelized Pears, Toasted Hazelnuts, Spaghetti Confit: La Silhouette

White Truffle Tortelli with Fontina Val d’Aosta, and Chestnuts: Eleven Madison Park
An orgasm on a plate!

Bimbin, Tomato, Arugula Sorbet: Jung Sik Dang

Chestnut Velouté, Crispy Sweetbreads, Black Turnip Purée, Black Truffle: Um Segredo Truffle Dinner

Duck Bun: Wong
The bun had a fantastic crispness, the duck between its covers was incredibly juicy and flavorful, and the celery and cucumber added just the right touch of crunch.

Wild Striped Bass, Salsafy, Foie Gras Ravioli: Um Segredo Wild Game Dinner
The perfectly prepared fish was so moist and flavorful, and the foie gras oozing out of the ravioli put this dish over the top.

Seared Venison, Red Rice Purée, Leeks, Arugula: Um Segredo Wild Game Dinner
While I’d had small bites of venison when M has ordered it, this was my first time actually eating a whole portion. I had feared it might be too gamey, but it turned out to have a very pleasing flavor in addition to being extremely tender. The accompaniments were fantastic. So, altogether, a fantastic dish.

Next up: Memorable Desserts

I first discovered foie gras’ existence during one of our trips to France in the mid-1980’s. We were staying at Le Prieuré, a Relais & Chateaux property in Villeneuve-les-Avignon and dined in its restaurant. Scanning the appetizer section of the menu, in French, called “entrées” (which means “entrances,” so why American menus call main courses “entrées” is a mystery to me), I noticed “Foie gras poêlé.” Aha! I thought. Liver. I’ve always liked liver, so I ordered it. When the dish was placed before me, it looked nothing like any liver I’d ever had before. Tasted nothing like it either. One small bite and I swooned. I was hooked!

To this day, seared remains my first choice preparation. But I also love it roasted or poached. As for terrines and torchons, one would think that I would have gobbled them up immediately since I grew up adoring their Jewish cousin, chopped liver. Oddly, however, that wasn’t the case. It actually took me a few years to learn to enjoy them. Eventually, they did grow on me like – well, like chopped liver, and I’ve had many a terrine and torchon which have wowed me.

During 2011, I had foie gras 29 times. In a few instances, it was one ingredient among others on a plate. Otherwise, in its various versions and with a wide range of accompaniments, it was the star.

It should come as no surprise that since we dine at Eleven Madison Park more than at any other restaurant, I had foie gras many times there and more than anywhere else. It’s interesting to note that until this past year, Chef Humm served only terrines or torchons. But that changed in mid-2011. Now, whenever “Foie Gras” appears on the menu grid, guests are offered the option of having the “chef’s version” or a seared version. And seared foie gras has even shown up as an accompaniment on a main course plate.

The first foie gras at EMP was in January at M’s birthday lunch. Executive Sous Chef Abram Bissel surprised us by creating a seared foie gras dish especially for us: Foie Gras Seared with Kumquats and Baby Turnip.

In February, at the lunch we shared with uhockey: Foie Gras Torchon with Corn and Quince.

In April: Foie Gras Terrine with Pineapple and Pickled Pearl Onions.

In June, at our anniversary dinner: Quail Ballotine with Foie Gras, Fava Beans and Radish.

At the Beer Dinner at the end of June: Foie Gras Terrine with Strawberry, Yuzu, and Back Pepper.

In September, I ordered the seared version while M ordered the chef’s version, and we shared: Foie Gras Seared with Cherries, Leeks, and Pistachios

and Foie Gras Terrine with Plum, Bitter Almond, Umeboshi.

In October at my birthday lunch, M repeated the version he had in September while I ordered a new seared composition: Foie Gras Seared with Apples and Oat Streusel .

In addition, there was foie gras with the main course guinea fowl: Guinies Fowl with Plum, Butternut Squash, Amoretti, and Foie Gras.

At the EMP book launch party in November, there was a foie gras hors d’oeuvre.

At our last EMP meal of 2011, lunch at the end of December: Foie Gras Smoked Terrine with Black Truffles, Potato and Rye.

Beneath the fold, the other places where I had foie gras.

In chronological order…

Nuela: Arroz con Pato (For Two)

Ai Fiori: Torchon Foie Gras au Nature, Spiced Figs, Ormeasco Mostarda, Pistachios, Brioche Toast

Ai Fiora: Piccione: Roasted Breast of Squab, Liquid Foie Gras Croquette, Parsnip Purée, Sauce Madere

Roberta’s: Seared Foie Gras, Black Pepper, Black Garlic

Bar Room at The Modern: Foie Gras Terrine Studded with Salsify, Maple Gelée and Pain d’Epices

elements: Foie Cookie, Page Mandarin Marmalade, Macadamia, Parmesan

Casa Mono: Foie Gras with Cinco Cebollas

The Modern Dining Room:
Wagyu Beef & Foie Gras “Damier,” Passion Fruit Gastrique
Grilled Sullivan County Foie Gras, Macerated Cucumber and Cumin
Squab & Foie Gras Croustillant, Caramelized Ginger Jus and Farm Vegetables (For Two)

Adour: Sautéed Duck Foie Gras, Young Tender Turnips, Dolce Forte

The Peacock Inn: Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Rhubarb & Strawberry Compote, Shortbread Biscuit, White Balsamic Verjus

Tocqueville: (We were served two different versions as part of a tasting menu. We shared them.)
House Cured Terrine of Foie Gras, Roasted Pear, Quince & Brioche Toast
House Cured Terrine of Foie Gras, Roasted Black Mission Fig, Rhubarb & Riesling Gelée

La Silhouette: Foie Gras “A la Plancha,” Caramelized Pears, Toasted Hazelnuts, Spaghetti Squash Confit

Jung Sik Dang: Foie Gras Mousse with Black Raspberry

Corton: Foie Gras Torchon

Tocqueville: Seared Diver Scallops & Foie Gras, Wild Mushrooms, Braised Artichokes & Cider Vinegar Gastrique

Um Segredo Wild Game Dinner: Wild Striped Bass, Salsify, Foie Gras Ravioli

Did any of these make my Best Dishes of 2011? Stay tuned!

Snow in October and since then, not a flake. Temperatures have been seesawing. Several moderate days (during one stretch, the high was 60!) followed by a few days, like yesterday and today, with temperatures plummeting into the ultra-frigid zone.

A rebound to warmer temps is forecast for tomorrow and the next several days.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining in the least. I’ll take this over last year when, by this time, we’d had two major snowstorms and cold that settled in so that the snow remained on the ground for what seemed like an eternity.

There is a coastal storm headed our way on Sunday. I’m hoping it stays warm enough for it to be  just rain. But we shall see….

Update: January 5, 2012

They’ve take the storm out of Sunday’s forecast.

And The Weather Channel’s forecast is showing a higher warming trend.

Title: Addendum

I figured out the theme quite easily. The sound of “um” is added to the last word in each of the major answers creating a jokey expression.

18A. Pool boy’s “Watch this!” comment? = See if I carom.
23A. High-mounted window you can’t stop looking at? = Hypnotic transom
32A. Part of a watch touching the breastbone? = Stem to sternum
46A. “You don’t have to look busy to be busy,” e.g.? = Office maxim
59A. Pill that relieves computer-related anxiety? = Silicon Valium
71A. Inhuman group of golfers? = Brute foursome
81A. Sultan’s wife, perhaps? = Head of harem
99A. Jungle king’s jeans and overalls? = The lion’s denim
110A. Ennui among quantum physicists? = Particle boredom
116A. Dessert delivered over the internet? = Pie a la modem

All rather clever, I think.

Several literature-related clues;
87A. “l984” superstate. Answer: Eurasia
106.A Twelve Oaks neighbor. Answer: Tara (Gone with the Wind)
29D. Best-selling author who wrote,” I did not write it. God wrote it. I merely did his dictation. Answer: Stowe (Harriet Beecher, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
50D. _____ Quijano (Don Quixote’s real name). Answer: Alonso

48D. Homme’s partner. Knowing French made this easy. Answer: Femme

2D. Jimi Hendrix’s debut single and 26A. Steely Dan’s album featuring “Deacon Blues” cross each other and were the final two answers I needed to complete the puzzle correctly. My knowledge of the music by these two men is exactly zero. I was able to fill in the surrounding answers but that left one open letter which would complete those two answers. Though it was pretty much a guess, the letter that made the most sense to me was “J.” Turned out to be a good guess. Correct answers: 2D. Hey Joe/ 26A. Aja

Off to a fine start in 2012.

As I mentioned in my post looking back at 2011, unlike last year when we were in New York and rang in the New Year at Eleven Madison Park, this year, we are in NJ and last night did the same old, same old: Fondue.

When we got married in 1968, fondue was all the rage. Everyone we knew had a fondue pot and accessories.  It was fun getting together with other couples. I actually have two pots, one of which I got with supermarket Green Stamps, and one year, we hosted a New Year’s Eve fondue party for 8 people.

Then, we started a tradition doing the New Year’s Eve fondue with my closest friend, her husband, and our children (their two boys and J). That lasted until J and their older son were in their early teens and no longer interested in spending New Year’s Eve their parents. Quel surprise!

Since M and I had become interested in fancy food, we started a new New Year’s Eve tradition — a fancy-ish dinner for two at home. We might start the meal with seared scallops, have a main course rack of lamb or magret de canard with suitable accompaniments, and end with a soufflé. This went on for a number of years until we gave it up in favor of going back to fondue, just for the two of us. It’s fun and a lot less work for me.

As we “fondued” last night, we listened to the final two selections on WQXR’s Classical Countdown. As expected, No. 1 was Beethoven’s “Ninth,” which has been the case for the past several years. (Beethoven’s “Fifth” was No. 2 again.) The “Ninth” finished just before the stroke of midnight. We watched the ball drop, had dessert, and then settled down to watch The Social Network. As has frequently happened on past New Year’s Eves during our chosen film, I saw the beginning and dozed through most of the rest, awaking just in time to see the final scene. Well, we do own the dvd, so I can watch it another time when I’m more wide awake.

Happy New Year!

To see all the photos from our New Year’s Eve fondue, Click here.

When the year began, I was able to start posting again after being sidelined for four months by the severe pain caused by a herniated disk and pinched nerve in my neck. Happily, by the end of January, I became fully recovered.

Celebrations

M reached the Biblical three score and ten on the 26th of January. We celebrated at EMP twice: dinner with J and the P.G. on the previous Saturday and lunch on the day of, just the two of us.

We celebrated our 43rd Anniversary at EMP in June. And my birthday lunch at EMP in October became a major memorable event when I was gifted EMP: The Cookbook by the staff.

Theater

Of the nine plays we saw this year, only one was not part of our Roundabout subscription. Time Stands Still starred Laura Linney, Brian d’Arcy James, Eric Bogosian, and Christina Ricci. All gave excellent performances in a play that was interesting and engrossing.

Two plays from the Roundabout’s 2010-2011 season which we saw this year really stood out. We’ve seen The Importance of Being Ernest a few times before, but this production was especially terrific because of Brian Bedford’s performance as Lady Bracknell — astonishing and a total hoot. Then, there’s Anything Goes. Let’s face it! With music and lyrics by Cole Porter, and Sutton Foster a modern-day Ethel Merman, there’s no way this musical classic could be anything but fantastic. The finale of Act I alone is worth the price of admission.

The 2011-2012 season began with Terrance Rattigan’s Man and Boy, starring Frank Langella. As he always does, Langella dominated the stage with an exceptionally fine performance. I wasn’t much taken with Sons of the Prophet. But I was completely surprised how much I loved The Road to Mecca, a play by the South African Athol Fugard written in the 1980’s. We thought it would be about apartheid, but instead, it was about creativity, a person’s worth, and her place in the society in which she lives. The performances by Rosemary Harris, Carla Gugino, and Jim Dale were stellar. The entire first act is a dialogue between Miss Helen (Harris) and young Elsa Barlow (Gugino). When the curtain fell, M looked at his watch and commented, “A whole hour of just dialogue that was really engrossing.” The two women so inhabited their characters that listening to their conversation was like being a fly on a wall in a real house. Mesmerizing. In the second act, Marius Byleveld (Dale), who had been talked of during the first act, enters the picture. Again, the act is dialogue driven, and even though I had an inkling of how things would turn out, the interplay amongst the three characters remained fascinating to watch. We saw it on the third day of previews, and it will be at the American Airlines Theatre until the beginning of March. Highly recommended.

Movies

We saw exactly one in the theater: Midnight in Paris. I found it enjoyable but not rave-worthy. The opening scenes of Paris were stunning.

Concerts

We attended two concerts. In March, The Chamber Society of Lincoln Center performed a trio by Beethoven and two quintets by Brahms. In April, we went to Town Hall to hear the Muscians from Marlboro play a string quartet by Janacek (a little too atonal for me), a string quintet by Mozart, and one of our major favorites, Mendelssohn’s “Octet in E-flat Major.” At both concerts, our dear friend Jessica Lee was one of the violinists.

Ballets

We saw three ballets. The Lady of the Camellias was new to us. Didn’t much like it. Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty were wonderful as always. We’re already excited about next year because La Bayadère will be on ABT’s program.

Museums

We saw four exhibits all during the past two months. At The Met, “Steiglitz and His Artists: Matisse to O’Keefe.” At the Frick, “Picasso’s Drawings, 1890-1921.” At the Morgan Library, “Charles Dickens at 200” and “David, Delcroix, and Revolutionary France: Drawings from The Louvre.” A highlight for me was seeing an original copy of A Christmas Carol opened to the first page where I could easily read the famous first line: “Marley was dead.”

Books

M has been using a Sony Reader for several years. I, on the other hand, remain a Luddite with respect to reading books. I like holding a real one, preferably a hardcover, and continue to regularly patronize my local library. I tend to read mostly novels and mysteries though I do occasionally read biographies and history. This year, of the 13 books I read, all were novels except for two mysteries. Here they are in alphabetical order according to author:

Paul Auster – The Book of Illusions, Brooklyn Follies, Moon Palace
I found a hardcover copy of Illusions in one of the bookcases in our apartment. J had obviously gotten it several years ago. I’d never read Auster before and enjoyed Illusions, so I took the others out from the library. Moon Palace had one small section I found boring, so I skimmed it. But otherwise, a good read. I loved Brooklyn Follies.

Elizabeth Buchan – Separate Beds. I’ve read all her previous books. The themes are about marriage.

Theodore Dreiser – Sister Carrie. A classic I’d never read before.

Dick Francis and Felix Francis – Crossfire, Gamble
I’ve read all of Dick Francis’s books, which goes back many years. He’s a former jockey whose books always involve horse racing in some way. But they are basically mysteries, his characters are interesting, and I like his writing style. He died in February. His son, Felix, co-authored the last few books, including Crossfire. Gamble is his first solo effort but under the Dick Francis imprimatur. Not surprising, the setting, characters, and his writing style are much like his father’s.

Ian McEwan – Atonement. The first book of his I’ve ever read. Fascinating plot.

Morag Prunty – Recipes for a Perfect Marriage. Another author I’d not read before. This was my favorite book of the year. Written in first person, chapters alternate between the voice of a young woman living in New York and her Irish grandmother living in Ireland and is the story of their marriages. The writing is superb, the story lines both funny and poignant.

Richard Russo – Bridge of Sighs, That Old Cape Magic.
I read Russo’s Empire Falls many years ago and enjoyed it. Hadn’t gotten around to reading these until now. His books are about relationships and life in small towns.

Scott Turow – Reversible Errors, Innocent.
I’ve been a huge fan of Turow since I read his first book, One L, a non-fiction account of what it’s like to be a first year law student at Harvard. I’ve read all his novels, starting with the smash best-seller Presumed Innocent. His writing is superb, and his stories are page turners.

I must also mention a cookbook that was published in the fall which I have been eagerly anticipating.  bluestem: the cookbook is a collaboration between the owners of that eponymous restaurant in Kansas City, Chef Colby Garrelts and his wife, Pastry Chef Megan Garrelts, and our dear friend and my blog mentor Bonjwing Lee (aka ulterior epicure). The Garreltses provided the recipes while Bonjwing took the photographs and wrote the text. It’s a wonderful read, the photos are gorgeous, and the recipes are user-friendly.

T.V.

I’ve been watching “The Young & the Restless” since it came on the air. Thank goodness for “fast forward,” so I can get through the plots that are ridiculously silly or utterly boring. I’m hooked on “The Good Wife,” “Royal Pains” (Yay! It’s coming back on January 18), and “The Closer” (I think this is the last season). I also enjoyed watching “Suits” and am interested to see where it goes when it returns for a second season.  I loved, loved, loved the fabulous ”Downton Abbey,” which will be returning on PBS’s Masterpiece with Season 2 beginning on January 8.      

At Home

We didn’t make any interior changes to either our house or apartment. However, we did do a major landscaping renovation.

Trips

Only one: our escape to Pittsburgh from Hurricane Irene.

Electronics

When we went to our apartment after returning from Pittsburgh, we discovered that our desktop computer had died. I’d been wanting a laptop for a long time, so instead of a new desktop, we bought a Sony VAIO. We take it back and forth, and I do use it in NJ in addition to my desktop. Once the warm weather returns, it will be especially nice to have it when I sit out on the patio.

But our electronics purchases didn’t stop there. We also traded in our ancient cell phones for iPhones. Plus, we got an iPad. I haven’t used it much, but M loves it!

And one more. M’s been unhappy with the quality of the photos from my point-and-shoot in low light despite its having an internal flash. It’s especially a problem when we have dinner at EMP. So, he bought me a new camera, a Sony nex-5. It’s taken some getting used to, but I’m getting the hang of the various settings and am enjoying using it.

Bien Cuit

One of the most exciting things that happened this year was the opening in July of Bien Cuit, my cousins’ bakery. The reception it has received from both the press and the public has been phenomenally positive. It has made many 2011 “Best” lists, the most recent being the NY Times’ “Best Under $25 Restaurants.” A bit odd since it isn’t really a restaurant, but you’ll get no complaint from us! Also, Manhattanites, listen up! You can now get Bien Cuit’s croissants and pastries without leaving the island. They are available at the recently opened UES location of Joe, the artisanal coffee shop mini-chain (on Lex, between 74th & 75th).

Dining Out

If you come here with any regularity, you know that I provide a list quarterly of where we’ve eaten. And you can go to my Flickr to see all the photo sets. In past years, I’ve not done any “Best” lists. However, I will be doing them for 2011, so stay tuned!

New Year’s Eve

Last year, we celebrated New Year’s Eve at Eleven Madison Park. It was only the second time that we’d ever gone to a restaurant as we prefer to spend it more quietly at home. However, given what a rotten few months I’d had and the fact that I was feeling much better, we felt we should celebrate by doing something more festive.

This year, we’re back to doing our usual New Year’s Eve fondue for two. We’ll be listening to the final selections in WQXR’s Classical Countdown (odds on bet that No. 1 will be Beethoven’s “Ninth,” as it has been for the past several years). We’ll watch the ball drop and then watch a movie on dvd. This year, it will be The Social Network.

This Blog

Finally, I want to say a huge Thank you! to all of you who have visited here during 2011. Even if you have not commented, I know you are out there reading. The year-end statistics provided by WordPress tell me that this blog has been viewed nearly 23,000 times. To me, that’s truly astonishing. I hope you will continue to stop by, and I will make every effort to continue keeping you informed and entertained.

My very best wishes to everyone for a healthy and wonderful 2012!