International Potluck

I tied the year up in the best possible atmosphere, food, friends and drink! I can't think of a better way to spend a holiday, or any day for that matter. I'm truly still running of the good energies from that night. In true fashion my diverse and fascinating friends made dishes that do their amazing personalities justice.
We made a pilgrimage on New Years Eve to the Korean grocery H-Mart in Fairfax, VA where we picked up some sugar cane for mojitos and some other things like steak and herbs. James was really impressed with the selection of hard to find fruits and vegetables. Among the aisles of produce I found banana leaves, fuzzy squash, thai okra and durian!



The fish market is equally as impressive.



James prepared a series of appetizers for our special New Years Eve dinner. He made guacamole, bruschetta with a variety of toppings including sea beans, roasted red peppers and classic tomato.



He also made flank steak served on a bed of guacamole and bread. It was a huge hit.



Amna made one of the two dishes she knows how to prepare. Thanks to Amna for the quiche. If your curious, the other food she cooks is toast. We were throughly impressed by her culinary skills. I bet the toast Amna makes is like fresh baked bread.

Molls made the main course. She was kind enough to prepare a dish of Napolean Chicken and a pot of warm rice. It was a fantastic chicken entree that was tender and it included mushrooms and tomatoes. We are waiting for that recipe! Merci beaucoup!

Drea enlisted Drea the Mom to make a grand and delicious salad of mixed greens with grapes, walnuts and goat cheese. She also made empanadas! Wow! Drea and Drea the Mom, those banana and cheese empanadas went so fast I didn't get a chance to try one. I was able to eat the one with peas and spinach though. It was the perfect addition to our potluck. Muchas Gracias!


Ellen clearly owns shares in the sparkling wine industry. Not only did she buy the champagne flutes but she bought 4 or 5 ( funny I can't recall) bottles of sparkling wine. It really turned our dinner party into a dance party. Cheers Ellen!

Marissa baked some downright delicious brownies that had melted chocolate chips hidden inside. This was a classic American addition to our hodgepodge of deliciousness. Thank you Marissa!

Wondering what I made for this incredible fusion dinner? I fought to the death at Whole Foods for a cake. Thats right, I bought a cake. The pastry department on New Years Eve has the cakes literally flying off the shelves. It was like the Turkish grocery stores during Ramadan. My name is Bahar and I bought a chocolate mousse cake and suddenly I am ashamed of my contribution.

I feel terribly lucky to have had such a fantastic night with the people I love. The entire night was a beautiful culmination of our lives this past year and hopefully it foreshadows the coming year. Wishing everyone a new year filled with good food, laughter, and friendship.