Out With a Bang

It’s unlike me to be brief.  But I’m still on vacation down in Pennsylvania and there’s a lot going on down here.  Just last night I tried my hand for the first time at making pork and sauerkraut, which is allegedly some New Year’s tradition.  While it is supposed to be the first meal you have in the new year, we will have it as the last meal of the old year.

I’m into tradition, but not so into superstition.

To start 2011 off on the right foot, and on the right food, we are going to tuck into a breakfast of my father-in-law’s famous buttermilk pancakes and locally made breakfast sausage links.  Naturally I made sure the farm was stocked with 100% pure maple syrup.

But there were a couple of completely unexpected things that happened this week, which really helped to wrap up 2010 and tie a bow on the whole year.

The first was pure luck.

Steve Barnes wrote to inform me that my name was randomly selected from over a hundred entries to receive a pair of tickets to the Albany Wine & Dine for the Arts Grand Tasting on Friday.

Every year this is an event that I’m on the fence about.  Friday nights are typically out for me.  And I just have a difficult time getting worked up for a big tasting midday on Saturday.  For what you get $50 is a fair price, but it’s still a good chunk of change.

But I am very excited to have won these tickets.

Now I am compelled to go.  I’ve had the requisite family meeting to release me from my regular responsibilities on a night that I should really be at home.  So I am free to try the food from a bunch of chefs that I’ve examined from afar, yet largely haven’t tried.  I’m hoping to taste something there that will really impress me and inspire me to make a reservation at one of their restaurants.  We’ll see.

I promise to tell you all about it in the New Year.

The second thing that happened came from local man about town and Times Union blogger, Kevin Marshall.  Maybe you saw it and maybe you didn’t.  Since I’ve been spending more time with the family then on a computer, I haven’t even had the chance to acknowledge this on his blog.

Kevin pronounced the FLB the best non Times Union blog of 2010.

I still have to stop and think about that.  Not best food blog, but best blog, period.  I am very touched, and glad that Kevin enjoys what I do.  Not only is this a great way to end the year, but it also fills me with excitement and enthusiasm for an even better 2011.

Looking forward to hearing all about what you ate and drank on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  I hope it is delicious.