Palate For Your Palate

‘Tis the season for holiday parties, and there is one I look forward to every year. It’s at the home of my big brother, and I have dubbed his wife “the hostess with the mostest,” to borrow a popular mid-20th century term whose origin I’ve forgotten.

There are fabulous Christmas decorations everywhere, and elaborate holiday-themed floral arrangements on every flat surface. There are no Vienna sausages at this affair. A long dining room table is set up buffet-style with the likes of filet mignon and grilled asparagus, etc. But it is the kitchen counter food that always grabs my attention.

Here is the appetizer section of this buffet, and it is all seafood. There is crabmeat cheesecake with accompanying perfect crostini, shrimp remoulade, and crabmeat Maison. It’s this crabmeat portion that fascinates me. I have long had a food fantasy that I am in a place where there is unlimited crabmeat. This local delicacy is so expensive it seems to be rationed, even in upscale restaurants where your portion is limited. Human stomach space is also finite, so my fantasy does not include making myself sick. I just like the idea of unlimited crabmeat. The very sight is titillating.

In the past this crabmeat appetizer was a normal size, but this year’s version of the star of this menu (to me anyway) was amped up considerably. There was an ice bowl with embedded cranberries and rosemary sprigs. Inside the ice bowl was a metal bowl with what seemed like a gallon of crabmeat. Every time I got near the bowl there were people opening new containers of Crabmeat Maison to refill the bowl. A wonderful sight.

Tom always said about such events that no matter how many people are there and no matter how much boiled shrimp is put out every single shrimp will be eaten. He never mentioned crabmeat but I can’t imagine any less enthusiasm. These two crustaceans occupy a top space on a local favorites list. Oysters are the third one at the top, and if anyone had to select one, it’s just a matter of personal taste.

There was more crabmeat in the Crabmeat Cheesecake, one of the greatest food inventions I have encountered. You can have the dessert variety of this luscious combination of eggs, cream and cream cheese, just give me the savory versions.

There was a dessert table at this party, and it included two large cakes, some pralines, and mini pecan pies. I left all of this to hang out at the seafood table.

My sister-in-law always uses Palate, a boutique company that consistently delivers for her. Chef/owner Glenn Vatshell has been reliably creative since the first time they served the guests our local classics, like these seafood apps, filet mignon, and Trout Meuniere from the entree table.

After a few hours of excessive eating and drinking, I left this wonderful affair with crabmeat still left in that big bowl. It was a pathetic showing for me, having come face to face with my food fantasy. I had a simple thought as I drove away: Be careful what you wish.