Happy New Year w/ Oysters and Lobsters

Despite few dollars, the fiscal cliff and other omens of woe,  and thanks to the collective spirit of friends, we began the New Year appropriately - with full-on decadence. Sliced Scottish Smoked Salmon on toast points with condiments of chopped egg, onion, and capers, accompanied by Russian vodka; Malpeque's on the half shell with caviar, accompanied by premier cru French chablis, and home steamed lobsters with lots of drawn butter and lemon, accompanied by New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Side dishes were homemade corn pudding, and kale with sausage and apples. Dessert: chocolate cake, of course. The oysters and lobsters came from Cannons and were delicious. The sausage, also yummy, from Stachowski's. The eggs and kale from the Palisades Farmers Market

ONE OF THE GUESTS, A MAINER, DID THIS WITH THE LOBSTER, A BUTTER BATH

ONE END OF THE TABLE BEFORE WE WERE SEATED

Huffington Post ran a terrific health story in which it said the secret was to enjoy the holiday indulgences with abandon, accept the bothersome "holiday bloat" and then return to healthy eating habits after today, or tomorrow. That's one of my New Year's plans.