NYE

Eastside Road, Healdsburg, December 31, 2008

LIGHT SUPPER: pork loin, succotash, green salad. Pumpkin pie.

Pomegranate juice

Meat pie

Eastside Road, Healdsburg, December 30, 2008—

THE END OF the meat pie tonight. Meat, potato (mashed), onion, carrot, celery — those delicious fragrant vegetables. Green salad, of course.

Pomegranate juice spritzer

Beer and a burger

Jughandle Creek Ranch, December 29, 2008—

North Coast Brewing Company, 455 N. Main St, Fort Bragg; tel. 707/964-3400

WE'D CHECKED OUT of our rental house and wanted one last meal before the family broke up to go its four separate ways, and Meadow suggested the Brewery. Feeling a little under the weather I had a cup of minestrone before splitting a hamburger and French fries with Lindsey, who suggested we split a dish of cole slaw as well. It was all surprisingly good; I'd go back any time.

Pale lager, "Scrimshaw"

Family dinner, 2

Jughandle Creek Ranch, December 28, 2008—

LINDSEY HAD WORKED for hours on a delicious meat pie, fabricated at home, then taken with us to our family reunion. It was delicious. Alas, I have no photos.

Zinfandels and Primitivo

Family dinner, 1

Jughandle Creek Ranch, December 27, 2008—

WELL, WE WEREN'T ALL there, but nearly — only Eve couldn't make it: the snowfields of Wisconsin are just too far away. But we were fifteen at table: Lindsey and me, the three kids and their spouses, seven of the eight grandchildren. We'd rented a farmhouse up on the Mendocino coast, and Meadow brought some delicious chops along, and we had rolls, and salad, and I forget what all. Lots of talk; lots of fun.

Cheap red Côtes de Ventoux

Boxing Day encore

Eastside Road, Healdsburg, December 26, 2008—

BRUSSELS SPROUTS, pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes and garlic cloves. Oh: and Michael's tomato relish, of which he gave us only a little in case we didn't like it. We like it, very much indeed.

Pomegranate juice spritzer

Christmas dinner

Eastside Road, Healdsburg, December 25, 2008—

WE GROUND UP garlic, salt, and fennel seeds, and steeped it in olive oil for an hour or two, then slathered it on all sides of a pork tenderloin onto which we then grated lemon zest. That went into the oven in a pan with peeled and quartered potatos and whole unpeeled cloves of garlic.

Brussels sprouts on the side, sautéed; green salad of course. Zabaglione.

Zinfandel, Lou Preston old vines, 2004.