Just after the preview party at The Wright (restaurant at the Guggenheim), Saveur Magazine's Holiday Pot-Luck Dinner was our second stop of the evening. Given an inconspicuous address on 32nd Street, we were led to an elevator via the lobby of a random office building. When the doors opened on to the 12th floor, we found ourselves in Saveur's weekday work space, which had been transformed in to a culinary labyrinth.  Upon turning each corner of the pseudo-maze, delicious surprises were divulged in the form of a sweet hors d'oeuvre (think Pichet Ong's chocolate cupcakes with caramel-bacon buttercream), or the pot-luck creation being plated by its celebrity-chef mastermind. 

Aside from the cupcakes mentioned above, some of my favorite samples included:

• Marco Canora's Rabbit Stew with Nicoise Olives and Rosemary

• John DeLucie's Truffled Macaroni & Cheese

• Alexandra Guarnaschelli's Sugar-Cranberry Pie

From the left: Saveur Magazine's publisher, Merri Lee Kingsley, poses for a photo. *Check out the smiling local-yokel just behind her in the charcoal sweater...that's your's truly!

THIS, my friends, is a tangible piece of heaven. Note the crunchy, chopped pieces of bacon and delicate sprinkle of sea salt crowning the top of the caramel buttercream schmear.

…

Until we eat again,

Lindsay, The Lunch Belle