I wrote:

>> How about you? Did you get any ideas for the holidays from RFC?
>
> I get ideas from RFC all the time, but I try to be completely independent
> when it comes to planning for the holidays. I use RFC ideas *around* the
> holidays, though. For example, Janet recently wrote what I thought was a
> very interesting post about making chocolate truffles. I'm not having
> truffles at any of the upcoming holidays, but I might make truffles on an
> "off-day" just because I'm interested in trying out what she wrote.
>
> Even your post above gave me an idea: Christine told me about something
> called "faux gras" which is made using chicken livers and butter. I think
> that New Year's Eve would be a great time to try making it. (I haven't
> started planning my New Year's Eve menu yet.)

....and now I'm adding Dungeness crab to that menu -- ANOTHER idea I got from
RFC!

So for New Year's Eve I'm having:

Faux Gras: I'm thinking of putting it into a crème brûlée dish and searing
with a blowtorch, then serving it with cranberry chutney.

Dungeness Crab: My plan is to have it simply steamed, chilled, and served
cold with a hot beurre blanc spiked with powdered California chiles.

Steak Tarta I use a hybrid recipe, but the most important factors are
that the meat is from a bottom round roast (which is lean and beefy), and
it's chopped rather than being ground. I am bemused by the people who spend
money on Wagyu beef and make tartare out of it. Cold beef fat is not
appealing to me.

I'm hoping to talk Lin into making artisanal bread for the occasion. I need
to add some vegetable dishes[1] and maybe a dessert or two, but so far
nothing has quite "clicked". We'll be drinking Prosecco.

Bob
[1] I'm thinking cooking one or two of these candidates, but would welcome
suggestions:
Vegetable terrine of some kind
Leeks à la Grecque, i.e., stewed in olive oil with lemon
Spinach soufflé
Caramelized fennel on top of celery-root purée
Eggplant caviar
Onion soup gratinée
Savory cream puffs filled with spiced butternut squash and pecans