TRADITIONS WITH FRIENDS

When you are lucky to have friends that go back to kindergarten, traditions are formed. Then you pick up some college buddies, add a few others along the way, and whether you are celebrating or commiserating, a finely tuned gathering takes shape. For instance, take our New Years Eve Party! The day after Thanksgiving an email goes out as reminder to save the date that News Years will be taking place at my house.  The day after Christmas the second email goes out with assignments.  No worries, the drill is the same every year.

NEW YEARS EVE

BLIND CHAMPAGNE TASTING (everyone brings a bottle and casts a vote)

BOILED LOBSTER WITH LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

CAVIAR PIE

NEW YEARS DAY BRUNCH

Mac’s Sausage (Mac’s General Merchandise Country Sausage and Meats, Dunn, NC)

Grits (Geechie Boy this year, usually Hoppin’ John’s)

Mixed Fruit Scrambled Eggs Monkey Bread Biscuits

Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone

NEW YEARS DAY DINNER

There is football to watch and a few catatonics listening to the play by play before kitchen patrol goes back to stations.  This year the tradition of barbecuing a pork-butt on the green egg was replaced by Rodney Scotts Pulled-Pork and Ribs.  Sides of Collard Greens from Boone Hall Farms, Black Eyed Peas, Dorothy Peacock’s Skillet Cornbread were the staples.  We purposefully left out the rice___ like it was going to really “trim” the calories?  Seriously?  Hope that doesn’t “undo” the Good Luck Dinner but could it be why the Georgia Dawgs lost?

COLLARDS

CORNBREAD

DINNER IS SERVED

Well, That’s a Wrap!  Another New Years come and gone.  With legions of stories, catching up, belly laughs and bellies full with plentiful hugs bringing the best therapy around.

NEW YEARS TRADITION WITH “CRADLE TO GRAVE FRIENDS”