Christmas

Buppy and I don't really exchange gifts at Christmas (or birthdays for that matter), but it's fun to get something small for each other. I guess we say we won't get each other anything, but we always find something fun to show each other we care. This year, I was lucky enough to receive a new cut glove for my mandolin (Buppy accidentally cut mine last month, but at least it saved his hand!!), a pecan snipper (which I've wanted since last Christmas when I got an ice cream bucket of pecans from my parent's orchard and I have no way to crack them) and a restaurant gift card for a place we frequent. Yay! For Buppy, well, I was torn between an iPod (since he's becoming a regular at the gym and doesn't have one) and a panini press, which he's been desperately wanting. Since I couldn't decide, he received a charcuterie gift basket. We enjoyed some for lunch on Christmas Day, and he'll take some to work tomorrow for lunch. I think we'll still have cheese left over, too. Good thing, because the 5 year aged gouda is AMAZING.

Top left kind of under the bowl and working our way over: Tuscan grilled ham, ciabatta bread, peppered salami, more bread, Breton crackers, fire roasted pork, more bread, 5 year aged gouda, more bread, a 1st place winning buttermilk blue cheese, truffle ham with herb and my homemade olive tapenade. Trust me when I say it doesn't get much better than this. And here's the picture with Buppy being the "I'll sneak into your foodie picture" ninja! I love when he jumps in.

Well, my family Christmas will be over New Year's - I'm flying home after work on Wednesday and will fly back to Maryland late next Tuesday night. I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Christmas 2011. Happy *safe* New Year's all!