New Year's in Bath

 For New Year's, Shelly found a hotel in Bath offering a 6-course dinner, dancing and champagne for the evening!  We drove out early on New Year's Eve to explore the city and rest before our big night.  And it was big.  After courses like smoked venison with pickled walnuts and beetroot, mushroom truffle soup with puff pastry lid, and lamb loin with rosemary cream, we shared at least 4 bottles of champagne with our new French friends until about 4am.  I'd been looking forward to attempting black pudding at the hotel's fancy brunch the next morning, but that's just too much champagne.

Smoked raw venison with pickled walnuts, beets and cranberry sauce

Savory wild mushroom and truffle soup with puff pastry lid

Getting festive

Almost midnight!

MacDonald Hotel at dusk