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Sunday lunch (the 3rd January 2010) was at home, with my dad, youngest sis and in-laws - an advanced celebration of my wife's and my 18th wedding anniversary.
My brother and his wife just got back from the Tokyo winter, so were not feeling well enough to join; so we were 19 in all including one of my wife's aunts and the nephews and nieces.
Clockwise from bottom-left: My sis, dad, wife, mom-in-law, an aunt, father-in-law and sis-in-law
My brothers-in-law
My HK-based bilas (i.e., the husband of my wife's sis - there is no equivalent English term) between calls on the patio.
My youngest son's dachshund was wondering what all the fuss was about - he did ask.
My wife decided to serve her version of Cocido Madrileño ("cocido") for the lunch - one of my dad's favorite/comfort dishes.
Basically, the version of cocido my wife serves is, as may be seen above, a 3-part meal: (1) the broth in which the meats and vegetables were long-simmered (noodles added in after the meats were done); (2) the vegetables (cabbage, green beans, chick peas, potatoes, a sort of bok choy locally called "pechay", etc.); and, (3) the meats themselves (beef brisket, pork belly, chicken, chorizo, etc.).
Cocido (there is a thick, moderately-spiced, tomato based sauce served with the meats)
The Vegetables
The Meats
Naturally, my wife had prepared a few other courses:
To start: Our Usual House Salad which our friends are all very familiar with by now (butter lettuce, arugula, tarragon leaves, toasted pine nuts, grated parmesan, Parma ham and a honey-mustard-vinegar-garlic dressing)...
Grilled Prawns
Solomillo (de Vaca)
Chow time
Even with an extra table set up, we couldn't fit everyone inside, so two of the younger teen-agers had to sit with the kiddies outdoors - much to their chagrin.
My sis-in-law didn't think I was quick enough with my camera to take a shot of her clowning around the buffet table. Well, as Yosemite Sam says: "That'll learn 'ya!"
Desserts were...
Butter Cake, Chocolate Sans Rival, Coffee Crunch Cake and Date Bars (a.k.a., "Food for the Gods")
Of course, there was some fruit as well: Cantaloupe and a local Pomelo called "Suha". I think I was the only one who had any though. That was quite a filling lunch. A double espresso ended it for me. I'm having the the fruits as my dinner, that's for sure.
Racks of Lamb before cooking: they are marinated for many, many hours in olive oil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram and black pepper.
The onions & tomatoes before cooking: just sprinkled with sea salt and pepper, then lightly drizzled with olive oil. These are grilled right after the lamb racks, while the latter are resting.
Dad spikes the eggnog heavily with bourbon, so we gave our youngest his cups before then.
The kids had already grabbed several chops before I could take the above photo. With the meal, we had some...
1995 Château La Fleur Saint Georges - I dug these out from my dad's cav because I wanted to compare it to the last time I had 
Maison Vogade Yvan Crème de Pêches de Vigne - I bought some bottles of this at one of the shops just outside the Romanesque Basilique Ste-Madeleine in Vézelay the first time I was there with my wife (I gave one bottle to my dad). As the name indicates, the dominant flavor is an intensely sweet succulent, juicy ripe peach with a wild honey. pronounced florality and just a whisper of anise towards the back.
...Salad Fixings, Baked Potatoes (w/ sour cream, chives, bacon bits, etc.) and the main course...
...a Certified US Angus Rib-Eye Roast, appx. 16+ lbs of fatty, beefy goodness).
Of course, my mom-in-law checks out every single dish before dinner is served to make sure all is properly prepared.
Just before midnight, my brother-in-law starts popping the bubblies to toast the new year's arrival...
...and, at the stroke of 12, everyone has to down a glass and 12 grapes before 12:01am and greeting everyone "Happy New Year". Later in the evening, or, rather, the morning, everyone moves indoors and settles down...
