new year's eve

New Year's Eve! Liam and I decided to host a dinner at our place (one of the many things I was dreaming about doing "when we find our real home", as you know, and now we've found it) and had a few of our closest friends over. It was such a lovely night and turned out just like I had hoped.


In our friend group we don't feel that the people who are hosting necessarily must be in charge of the food. Luckily we have friends who actually enjoy planning and cooking the food. :) Karin was in charge of the starter and main (with Liam as her kitchen slave for a few hours in the afternoon) and did an absolutely stellar job as usual.


Karin, Liam and Lisa plating the starter (with Kyle being curious of course).



Baked black salsify with butter sauce, almond pesto and pickled kohlrabi


and then for the main, baked celeriac with Västerbotten cheese and browned butter + Jerusalem artichoke purée and chestnut mushrooms

Both were SO GOOOOOOD

It's almost ridiculous how tasty it was. Seriously Karin!


Omnomnom.


Kyle was there


and Malthe and Miranda


and Alexander and Lisa


and Karin


and Liam. All the best people!





After the main we played some silly games just to stand up and move a little (but I didn't take any photos then as I was busy playing games), and then it was time for dessert. Lisa was in charge of the dessert (obviously).


Glögg poached pears with chocolate and orange mousse and mascarpone cream. Lisa would like to inform you that the mousse didn't end up with the consistency she had planned. I'm like: How dare you be mean to this mousse just because it doesn't look like you planned, it tastes awesome. Such a good combination of flavours.


Christin and Tove both came straight from their respective jobs at the hospital and the opera just in time for dessert. Yay! Christin could only stay until just after midnight as she had to get up early for her next shift, but it was so nice to have her over for a little while.



And then suddenly it was time to head out to the balcony! It was too foggy to see fireworks far away. But we ooh:ed and aah:ed at the fireworks that were closer, counted down, screamed Gott nytt år, clinked glasses, hugged, you know, the whole malarchy.



And then Miranda took these photos of me and the love of my life.


When we went back inside, the box of chocolates and bowls of crisps came out


and people plonked down on the couch


and in the armchair


and on chairs


around the Christmas tree.


Tove!!!


I like this view almost as much as the first photo, the newly laid table, the "fun is just about to start" one. This one tells the story of a good party having happened (well, when I took this, it was still going on) in my home. And as you know, I treasure the memories.


Someone had had an early start and a really busy day at work before coming here <3


But she woke up promptly when Liam announched that the ...


... eggnog was done! This is the first batch, we didn't have enough matching glasses left at this point in the evening, ha ha.


Different glasses, more eggnog!






And then we hung out and laughed and talked and drank eggnog until three in the morning. Which is exactly the kind of New Year's Eve I wanted. I'm so grateful for these people.

Jamie Cullum | How Do You Fly?