Merriment Has Me In Her Spell

As if I didn't get enough of an alcohol infused day on Friday, I attended a party last night chez The Queen Bea and her Nordic husband, Thor. They live in a woodsy and isolated section of Connecticut at the end of a long driveway, surrounded by flowing dunes of snow and copious trees. Illuminated by twinkling lights, it was really quite a festive setting for indulging in continued seasonal merriment.

Getting there was half the battle. Mindful that I was liable to consume a cocktail or two, I decided to take the train to the party. It's the weekend so Metro North trains heading to their isolated portion of the Nutmeg State were few and far between (about two and half hours travel time door to door). There's something a tad surreal about standing on the train platform at 125th Street in Harlem dressed in jeweled earrings and sequins and clutching a bottle of fine champagne..and I had the same feeling an hour later standing in the desolate cold and muted light of South Norwalk waiting for my ride.

Once ensconced in the charming home that The Queen and Thor own, the night air's chill soon dissipated. The Queen Bee likes to feed people and tonight, she rose to the occasion. The table heaved with beautiful offerings and I was grateful that I had to good sense to fast all day for I wanted to try them all.

There was a grand ham as large as a buffalo's head. She had glazed it with cognac and cloves and surrounded it with freshly made citrus chutney. There was a salad of endive and dandelion greens with prosciutto wrapped goat cheese dressed with a tangy balsamic dressing. There were roasted peppers dabbed with a citrus vinaigrette. There were Scandinavian meatballs and southern wings which were so spicy, my lips bled (but of course I continued to eat them despite the pain in my mouth and the high possibility of staining my crisp white jacket). And then, the true pièce de résistance--a seafood casserole that had me utterly. This simple baked dish held in it's slight golden crust and creamy interior a plethora of sea scallops, fat pink shrimp and chunks of succulent lobster meat. I ate several helpings and then asked for the recipe. It was sublime.

The wine was equally pleasant: an Australian Layer Cake Shiraz and a surprisingly refreshing wine from a Hamptons winery, Duckwalk Vineyards. The selection was simply called Southampton White and it was crisp and festive. Who knew?! It might be worth a trip to their tasting room in Water Mill, NY.

The people were diverse and interesting and entertaining. There were only a few people I actually knew there but as these things go, by the end of the evening, you're all good friends. A lovely evening, all in all.

I ended the evening as I had begun it, at the train station in Harlem clutching a bottle of fine champagne, the sequins contrasting with the clear starry pattern of a new day's sky.