By Special Request ...

Tomorrow we will be joined by Evan, Chelsea and Nora, and Tom, Kristin, Elliott and Henry for our annual New Year's Eve celebration here in Boston.  We all get together for a home-cooked feast, and watch the fireworks (although this year only through the windows, because last year Elliott and Nora were petrified when we took them to Boston Common to see them!)

Consequently, I've spent a fair bit of today in culinary preparations, involving marinating beef in red wine for a stew, and making a "proper" English Trifle -- a special request from Mr. W.  Here's the final result.  I'm quite pleased with it, if I say so myself!  (I made the custard by hand ... no Bird's Custard on sale nearby, although that's no loss to me.  Bird's Custard always makes me think of British boarding school days, where it was relentlessly served, half cold and always lumpy, at the end of every meal!)