Our Table: The Oscars 2012

In keeping with our annual tradition, we again celebrated the Academy Awards in a big way.  After sharing our festivities on this lil' ol' blog last year, we couldn't let this year go by without divulging yet again.  Bill and I may have had to randomly guess our picks on the ballots, placing us pretty much dead last, but when it came to the food it's a whole nother story.  We kind of like to cook.  So between the two of us along with family and friends, we put together a nice little spread for the occasion.

From our table to yours, we give you the nominees for Best Picture...

1) The Decendants.  Because what's more "decadent" than creamy gooey irresistible cheesy mac n' cheese?

2) Moneyball.  Bean burritos for my man Billy, and Cake Balls.  And let me tell you, those cake balls?  They were money.

3) Hugo. The movie takes place in France.. French cheeses.. yea, you can't win em all :)

4) The Artist.  True to Bill-form, he made 28-day aged (as in, no packaged yeast) kalamata olive and caramelized onion artisan bread in both a loaf version, and in mini-melt sandwich versions.  The bread totally lived up to its Best-Picture-counterpart.. it was incredible.  

5) Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close.  "Key" lime for the key-themed movie, martinis to "toast" with, and the rims were pop rocks. They were "loud" :)

6) The Tree of Life. 

7) War Horse. Oat & Carrot cupcakes.

8) Midnight in Paris.  Midnight chocolate cake with mascarpone icing and port wine poached pears. 

 

9) The Help. Fried Chicken and Chocolate Pie.  If you've seen the movie, the pie is both self explanatory as well quite unappetizing.  However, I totally had two slices ;)

So there you have it.  Academy Awards, food, fam, and friends.  Nothing better.  So, how did you spend your Oscar evening?  Glued to the TV not missing a single Billy Crystal joke, wardrobe malfunction, or leg kick?  Flipping through the channels occasionally landing on the awards?  Forgetting/not caring it was on all together?  Do tell.

Our Table

Traditions.  In our family we have them pretty much accidentally.  These things that we've done year after year just sort of happened and became things we stuck to.  Most of them started long ago, probably longer than I can even date back to.  Without question, the most important tradition in our family is Christmas Eve dinner.

Every year on this night we sit around the table for Alici Spaghetti.  Yes, Alici, pronounced 'A-leech', is anchovy pasta.  Eating this on Christmas Eve dates back as far as I can remember, as far as my father can remember, and even as far as my 93 year old Grandmother can remember.  I always thought it was something everyone did.  Ya know, like turkey on Thanksgiving, or cake on your birthday.  Year after year we ate Alici with my grandma sitting in the same chair at the same table and we'd hear the same story.  Back one Christmas Eve, somewhere around 1965, she decided to make something different for a change. Switch it up a little bit.  Ravioli sounded good.  Harmless enough, and of course just as delicious.  My dad, however, thought differently.  He was 12, maybe 15, and as soon as he heard Alici would not be on the table, that was it.  He left.  Walked in the freezing cold to a friends house and didn't come back until after dinner was long over.  And although I'm sure it took a long time for my grandmother to forgive him, there was not a single year after that where my father has not eaten Alici on Christmas Eve.

It starts with the basic components.  Anchovies and Olive Oil.

Both go straight into the pan along with a whole bunch of fresh chopped parsley and a lot of garlic. And by a lot, I mean, a LOT.

It's then sauteed together with a fork to blend the anchovies.

This is my moms job.  Many have tried it, but no one can compare.

Then comes the pasta.  Four pounds and no less.  Leftovers are a must.

Dump on the sauce, mix well.  Very well. (We call in the big guns for this job)

And that's it!

 From our table to yours, we hope you had a wonderful holiday.