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Sixteen of us gathered at Manuel and David’s for dinner yesterday. We arrived around 1pm and enjoyed bubbly and conversation upstairs until everyone was assembled, and then repaired downstairs to the back gallery for hors d’oeuvres and more champagne.

Angela and Manuel

There were prawns and oysters, platters of cheese, and of course more champagne, and David loaded up the grill with a rack of lamb that had been marinating on the sideboard. He cut up the ribs for serving and they were delicious– charred around the edges and pink and succulent inside. This is a treat we don’t get in the States.

The Lamb cutlets entree prior to being grilled

We were a varied group, including several artists (Danelle Bergstrom, Sean-James Cassidy, and John Firth-Smith), a contingent from Sweden who came with Danelle, including a labro-schnau-doodle who along with Jed, scoured the floor and generous fingers for morsels of tasty meat. Also, David’s sister Sue, and her husband John and daughters Rebecca and Jessica were visiting from Perth, in Western Australia.

Everyone starting to sit down for dinner

Enjoying the conversation and champagne

Dinner was rolled out into the front gallery later in the afternoon, where there was a long banquet table beautifully laid with a colorful setting. Names were lettered on the back of cards featuring prints by artist-in-presence John Firth-Smith, and each setting included a cracker, a festively-wrapped device that pops with a little explosion when the two ends are tugged. Crackers are a British tradition, and once they are opened, everyone has a colored paper crown to wear. Silly hats, it seems, are the proper way to demonstrate that you are partaking in a festive occasion. Even Jed was given a hat to wear as a collar. Dinner was somewhat traditional, but that is not to say boring, as that made it all the more grand for its un-ordinariness. Beautiful tender roast beef, crusty roasted potatoes, parsnips and carrots, along with a tankard of a jus reduction; Accompanied by risotto, grilled bread, and light, flavorful salad of rocket, pears, roasted red pepper and shaved parmesan.

Ingredients for dinner

The main course for Christmas dinner – wonderful!

Au Jus and condiments for the filet

Potatoes

Risotto with Parmesan

Rocket and Pear salad

Kisses from Jed

Dinner is rolled out and served

Everyone enjoying dinner

After dinner there was a gorgeous dessert featuring a silky chocolate cake dusted with cocoa and decorated with currants. It was divine– rich and smooth, and almost custardy, without being intensely sweet. There was also ice cream and sorbet, and a cheese course and homemade fudge brought by one of the guests. This carried on, with coffee and cognac, until we all felt ready to lie on the floor of the gallery for a nap with the dogs.

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis and Currents

We lucked out on having a warm, but not scaldingly hot day. On Christmas Eve, the thermometer was inching towards 100, but things cooled off a bit for Christmas Day, with sunny mid-80’s. With all the warm weather, we’ve found it a little hard to get into the holiday spirit here in Sydney. But it really was a treat to have a such a festive event to attend and meet some new friends. It gives a whole new spin on the holiday. David and Manuel did an outstanding job planning and executing the event, and we feel really lucky to be included among their guests. Thanks guys! And Merry Christmas to all.

Merry Christmas from Angela and Eric!

You can view even more photos of Manuel and David’s Christmas dinner.