Ian and Jacquie [...] planned a festive but unpretentious meal

Nothing has changed. One always eats (and drinks) very well there.

I recommend it, especially for those of us who tipple.
The situation is not yet pressing, because there haven't
been appropriate offers on the property, but still
there are 2000 bottles, some very good, in the cellar.
I plan on showing up again next year.

This really doesn't relate; it's just a random newly formatted recipe
found while web surfing.

I don't know of any culture that celebrates new
year around now. Perhaps some Australian aboriginal
peoples, for whom this is springtime?

Title: Herring Roe (Kazunoko)
Categories: Japanese, Holiday, Caviar
Herring roe, or caviar, which is known as kazunoko in Japanese, is
a delicacy that is served on January 1st to celebrate oshogatsu or
New Year.

Interesting that the Japanese more often celebrate
western new year's rather than eastern.

Silly Rabbit
categories: booze
servings: 1

2 oz gin (Schiller prefers Ford's)
1 1/2 oz simple syrup
1 oz lemon juice
3 different flavored ice cubes
soda water to fill
2 ds mint bitters

Combine gin, syrup, lemon juice in a shaker.
Add ice, shake and double-strain into a Collins
glass containing three different flavored ice
cubes. Top with soda water and 2 mint bitters.
Serve with a red and white straw.

To make fruit-flavored ice cubes, add your choice
of fresh fruit juice to simple syrup and freeze
it into ice cube molds. Be careful not to exceed
a sugar content of 25 percent in your simple syrup
mixture.

Benjamin Schiller via Chris LaMorte, Chicago Tribune 3/24/2016
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