Eaton Town Column: Snowvillage Inn hosting Chamber After Hours Nov. 18

Now I want you to picture the downstairs dining room at the Inn at Crystal Lake. Okay, now fit in 52 people all eating at the same time. Tim and Bobby used the reading area and where the couch is normally to get everyone in. This was the scene for the New England Tenors last Friday night. Kudos to John Middleton-Cox, Jeffrey Hartman, and Stefan Barner for their delightful concert accompanied by Wayne Ward on the piano. If you didn't pick up some holiday cheer, you weren't paying attention. They sang lots of Christmas songs, traditional tunes, songs from Handel's "Messiah," and several sing-a-longs to put us all in the spirit. John and Wayne finished up with "Jingle Bells" together on the piano. The only unfortunate part was that one of the tenors, my friend Damien Corcoran, wasn't able to be there due to his wife's surgery. We missed you, Damien, but Stefan did a great job, too. The whole evening was full of music, joy and love.

The food was delicious, of course, thanks to Annie, Bobby and the kitchen staff. To start off, I had the pasta fagiole, a hearty Italian soup with celery, carrots, onions, beans, and pasta. This was followed by a wonderful mixed greens salad with fruit and vegetables, and then I chose the Salmon Piccata: Atlantic Salmon and baby clams in a lemon, white wine, fresh tomato and caper sauce; served over angel hair pasta. The miniature dessert trio — a chocolate brownie, an éclair and cherry cheesecake — finished off the meal perfectly. Many thanks to Lindsay, Jordan, and Robin for your dedicated waiting-on skills, especially for that large crowd.