Sur la Table
There are a number of items in the news that bear comment today. However, the thing that struck me was this article in the NY Times. Go ahead and read it. I'll wait.
la la la la la
Ooh, I really need a manicure.
dum di dum di dum
"I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing..." la la la la la
Edward James Olmos won best actor at the ALMA's last night. I love "Battlestar Galactica".
Maybe red nail polish.
'K, back? That's right, kids, no schaudenfraude about Lewis Libby getting 30 months (whoo to the hoo). We're going to talk about how silly people are about food. I've confessed before to having, once upon a time, been a foodie. Which is why reading about these people in New York engaging in dinner parties like it's some sort of blood sport really got me going. Talk about missing the point.
Breaking bread with someone is one of the most profound symbols in human culture. We come to the table to nourish ourselves and strengthen bonds with others. Period. When feeding others becomes about impressing or even intimidating those gathered, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong.
When we have a dinner party I thoroughly enjoy lavishing attention on the details of the feast with every intention of pleasing my guests. Because I want to please them. I want to do something nice for them and make them feel special. It is not, I repeat not so that they will spend 15 minutes between the entree and cheese courses telling me what a marvel I am.
Granted, a reputation for consistently serving good food has a price. Here is a list of people who cook for us:
The Cardinal and Mr. Mikey
The Neighbor
Seattle Coffee Girl
Jim and Kelly
JJ & Elroy
Stina and Dave
Ree (she rarely entertains but is always happy to bring food to parties)
The Sister-in-Law
This is not to suggest that cooking for us is the only way to prove friendship. There are plenty of people in our lives who show their love and friendship in other ways. That's fine. Not everyone entertains or enjoys cooking like we do.
But it does bother me when people say, and they have, that they are "too intimidated" to cook for me. "Too intimidated". As if I'm that Jeffrey Steingarten person who judges on "Iron Chef America". (He has a book called The Man Who Ate Everything. He regularly gives the impression of being the man who ate everything and didn't enjoy any of it. Ever. And furthermore, holds you in contempt for daring to cook).
This intimidation, and I know because I've asked, hasn't to do with me being some hard-to-please snoot, insufferably inquiring as to the pedigree of the brie. "Oh, no, it's just that you do it so well and I'd be embarrassed to serve you ordinary food".
Ordinary food. That's funny. Because I cook ordinary food. It isn't sprinkled with fairy dust or gilded or brought to the table on angel wings. Good food, lovingly prepared is all that is required for a nice dinner. Do you hear me? Food as art, the dinner party as weapon...this is so not the point. Crack open a bottle of 3 Buck Chuck, throw something on the grill and have a party. Lighten up.
It almost makes me not want to write about food anymore because it makes me feel I might be contributing to the madness. If joy, affection and a sense of celebration - even if you are only (only?) celebrating the gift of being alive together - isn't at the heart of your meal then what is the point? I'd rather have a dried out pork chop offered in love than duck breast in peach sauce served with ulterior motives.
One of the things I'm most looking forward to about our trip to Chicago is cooking for people. And Jon and I are looking forward to cooking together. Because it will be fun. Because it will be a way of showing these heretofore virtual friends that I care about them. I don't worry that I must somehow prove myself and therefore everything must be perfect or the whole evening will be ruined and my reputation along with it. If something goes awry we'll send out for pizza. I hear they have pretty good deep-dish pie in the Windy City. Maybe I'll screw up dinner on purpose.
la la la la la
Ooh, I really need a manicure.
dum di dum di dum
"I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing..." la la la la la
Edward James Olmos won best actor at the ALMA's last night. I love "Battlestar Galactica".
Maybe red nail polish.
'K, back? That's right, kids, no schaudenfraude about Lewis Libby getting 30 months (whoo to the hoo). We're going to talk about how silly people are about food. I've confessed before to having, once upon a time, been a foodie. Which is why reading about these people in New York engaging in dinner parties like it's some sort of blood sport really got me going. Talk about missing the point.
Breaking bread with someone is one of the most profound symbols in human culture. We come to the table to nourish ourselves and strengthen bonds with others. Period. When feeding others becomes about impressing or even intimidating those gathered, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong.
When we have a dinner party I thoroughly enjoy lavishing attention on the details of the feast with every intention of pleasing my guests. Because I want to please them. I want to do something nice for them and make them feel special. It is not, I repeat not so that they will spend 15 minutes between the entree and cheese courses telling me what a marvel I am.
Granted, a reputation for consistently serving good food has a price. Here is a list of people who cook for us:
The Cardinal and Mr. Mikey
The Neighbor
Seattle Coffee Girl
Jim and Kelly
JJ & Elroy
Stina and Dave
Ree (she rarely entertains but is always happy to bring food to parties)
The Sister-in-Law
This is not to suggest that cooking for us is the only way to prove friendship. There are plenty of people in our lives who show their love and friendship in other ways. That's fine. Not everyone entertains or enjoys cooking like we do.
But it does bother me when people say, and they have, that they are "too intimidated" to cook for me. "Too intimidated". As if I'm that Jeffrey Steingarten person who judges on "Iron Chef America". (He has a book called The Man Who Ate Everything. He regularly gives the impression of being the man who ate everything and didn't enjoy any of it. Ever. And furthermore, holds you in contempt for daring to cook).
This intimidation, and I know because I've asked, hasn't to do with me being some hard-to-please snoot, insufferably inquiring as to the pedigree of the brie. "Oh, no, it's just that you do it so well and I'd be embarrassed to serve you ordinary food".
Ordinary food. That's funny. Because I cook ordinary food. It isn't sprinkled with fairy dust or gilded or brought to the table on angel wings. Good food, lovingly prepared is all that is required for a nice dinner. Do you hear me? Food as art, the dinner party as weapon...this is so not the point. Crack open a bottle of 3 Buck Chuck, throw something on the grill and have a party. Lighten up.
It almost makes me not want to write about food anymore because it makes me feel I might be contributing to the madness. If joy, affection and a sense of celebration - even if you are only (only?) celebrating the gift of being alive together - isn't at the heart of your meal then what is the point? I'd rather have a dried out pork chop offered in love than duck breast in peach sauce served with ulterior motives.
One of the things I'm most looking forward to about our trip to Chicago is cooking for people. And Jon and I are looking forward to cooking together. Because it will be fun. Because it will be a way of showing these heretofore virtual friends that I care about them. I don't worry that I must somehow prove myself and therefore everything must be perfect or the whole evening will be ruined and my reputation along with it. If something goes awry we'll send out for pizza. I hear they have pretty good deep-dish pie in the Windy City. Maybe I'll screw up dinner on purpose.
Let's have some fun. I hereby invite you to a virtual pot luck. I'm making a simple roast chicken. What are you bringing?
Labels: Battlestar Galactica, cheese, coffee, entertaining, foodies, missing the point, potluck
cobbled together by Moi at 10:02 AM
43 Comments:
I'll bring the brick of cream cheese topped off with a jar of mango chutney and a sprinkling of fresh chives. It's yummy on crackers, with a nice Viognier
Thank God, you came first. Let's just snack on this while we wait for the others, shall we?
Hey, stop hogging the cream cheese hors d'oeuvre! I LOVE that stuff, 'cept we top it with salsa and then dig Wheat Thins into it. Yum to the Um!
Okay... I'll bring pasta shells stuffed with a ground meat(your choice)/ricotta/mozzarella/romano/herbs-and-spices mix, and topped with my "famous" spaghetti (cuz that's what my Italian grandma called it - not marinara) sauce, and sprinkled with mozzarella, romano, and parmesan, and parsley. Can someone be sure to bring the garlic bread?
Dang, Gina! That smells awesome! And I've got a Montepullciano around here that would be heaven with it. Red, where's the corkscrew?
I'll bring the beer.
Yes, it's the same thing I brought last time.
Yeah, but that's pretty good stuff as I recall. What I can recall, that is. There's a tub of ice back on the deck, just stick it in there.
I'll bring the fiddlehead fern. Wait...I'm invited, right?
(knocks on door...hear's the shooshing from inside and drops head in shame)
I'll bring the New Mexican style enchiladas, done in casserole form (wrapped, not the standard New Mexican flat). And I'll make sure the chile sauce is not to 'picy.
And Coronas with lime.
Don't be silly, Hat. We thoughtyou were someone else. And we loovvveee fiddlehead fern, especially with Velveeta. Did anybody bring Velveeta?
Mmmm, SCG. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Simple food I am....dessert...Oreo's, Frosted
Animal Crackers...AND....saved the best for last.....PB&J's cut with a cookie cutter into little hearts...How's that? Is Boone's Farm Ok for wine? Am I invited?
Hello, people? It says right up there at the top "I hereby invite you to a virtual pot luck". If you read that, you're invited. Now let's have no more of this "can I come" nonesense. Now pass that PB&J, Rosemary. Ooh, crunchy AND smooth peanut butter...something for everyone. You are so thoughtful. Unscrew the Boone's Farm and show me more of those pictures of tiny footed women in wacky hats.
Mmmmmmmmm. Boone's Farm.
Black Bean and Corn Salad and a big ole chocolate cake from me.
Homemade icing!
Kendall
Spark up the grill and I'll roast us up a leg-O-Lamb With lots of garlic and rosemary
I can heat up some motherf***in' macaroni and cheese and sh*t.
JP, know what goes great with Boone's Farm? Kendall's rock 'n roll black bean salad. And that icing! Dude! How did you make that picture of Belinda Carlisle's face?
The grill's already on, honey. I knew you'd want to throw something on there. But where oh where will we ever find rosemary. (Not that Rosemary. She's over by the pasta.
Speaking of which, Iwanski, get that mac 'n cheese over here by me. NOW!
"duck breast in peach sauce served with ulterior motives."
Oh. My. God! You have GOT to be the best food writer. Evah!!
Julia Child was once asked what she thought of Nouvelle cuisine. She replied, "Well, it just doesn't look very 'foodie' to me."
Love. It!
She was also asked what her comfort foods were.
"Red meat and gin."
Love. It. More!
My favorite Julia Child quote: "If you're afraid to use butter, as some people are nowadays, just add cream". My kind of girl.
But uh, you seem to have arrived empty-handed, mister. Did you leave something in the Zip Car, perhaps?
I'll bring the crockpot of velveeta cheese dip and a bag of corn chips.
Park Slope, by the way, is right by a canal full of toxic waste. At least it looks that way--bright green and slimy. Everyone's mad as a hatter. I also wonder how the hell they think they would make authentic tortillas in yuppie central. Puhleese. You need someone's old Mexican grandmother who sells them on the side for a bit of extra money. Miss that about Arizona.
Ooh, and someone else likes frosted animal crackers! I like the ones with the sprinkles best. Gimme that bag.
Black bean salad and better than sex cake! Do you want recipes? At our pot lucks, we ask everyone to write down how to make it, and then we copy them for the group
Recipes...YES! Everyone better have them written down with copies to share!!!
I'm bringing Jalapeno peppers stuffed with tuna and topped with sharp cheddar cheese..and I'm even using the already shredded kind of cheese because I don't feel like doing it myself...I was going to bring devilled eggs,but I was kinda intimidated by the ones you made last time.
..and why is The Hat sitting on your front porch talking to her fiddlefern?..
I'm just waiting for Lorraine to come outside and "not smoke" with me.
Here, I've put out some 3X5 cards decorated with chickens. Everyone write down your recipes. Is there any more of that salad?
Love the dip, BA. Know what's really great? Some of that dip poured over Iwanski's mac & cheese. That's what I call livin'.
Sling, I would NEVER have thought about stuffing jalepenos with tuna. We so have to serve this at the club. And you're a silly man. You know we all love your devilled eggs. Ooh, try the jalepenos with Alice's dip. Man!
Ok, I have to go get The Hat. She's been waiting a long time. Would someone hand me a couple of Oreos?
Okay, I'll bring a Texan favorite: Armadillo Eggs. You stuff a pickled jalapeno with cream cheese, dip it in batter and deep fry it.
And did someone mention Boone's Farm awhile back? I am SO there, but only if it's Strawberry Hill.
OK, I see that jalepenos and cream cheese...or shall we say, all sorts o' cheese...is big with this crowd. I knew I liked you people!
Jon, I hid some Strawberry Hill in the back of the fridge for ya.
29 comments and counting? Today you REALLY sneezed.
And if anyone's been looking for me, not that they have, I've been sitting next to The Hat chain smoking. But you probably couldn't see me on account of that hat.
When did the deviled eggs get here? Stop bogarting the eggs, Hat.
I'm making normandy apple tart with salted butter caramel to pour on top. And I want to sit next to Lorraine.
Nicole, I want to lick the spoon when you make the caramel.
And I love those armadillo eggs--in Arizona they called them poppers.
Black Bean Salad for a Crowd
3 large cans of black beans, drained and raised
1 Red Pepper-- diced
1 Yellow Pepper-- diced
1 Green Pepper-diced
1 Large Red Onion-diced
1 jalapeño pepper (remove seeds if you don’t like it too spicy)
1 large bunch of cilantro finely chopped / stems removed
1 clove of garlic through a press
1/3 cup Fresh Lime Juice
1/3 cup Olive Oil
Chili powered ¼ tea spoon
Mix it all together! Server with corn chips!
Salt & Pepper to taste
Chocolate Cake Mix
1 jar Carmel ice cream topping
1 jar fudge ice cream topping
1 can sweet and condensed milk
8 heath bars crushed
1 container whipped topping
Line a 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper
Prepare cake mix as directed in a 9 x 13 pan and let cool
Poke holes in the cake with the back of a wooden spoon
Pour toppings, one at a time, on to the cake—forcing toppings into the wholes
Cover with whipped topping
Top with crushed heath bars
oh that last one was better than sex cake :0
Um ... I listed the recipe for my offering in my initial comment. That's pretty much it. Open jar, smother cream cheese with chutney, then sprinkle. Done. Sorry I've been absent for the party for all this time; I've been outside "not smoking" with The Hat.
Those recipes rock, Mouse. Thanks! Have another glass of wine.
Red, there's an awful lot of "not smoking" going on around here. Let's make sure we pick up all those "not butts", shall we? Here's a garbage bag. And stop putting your fingers in the cheese dip. Use a chip. Geez.
My recipe.....white bread, use two slices, peanut butter creamy and chunky on two other breads. Put the PB on one slice then red plum jam on the other slice. Put the two slices of bread together...jelly and PB facing each other or else it is really messy....then place a heart cookie cutter strategically so you get maybe two hearts out of one sandwich and presto cute little PB&J finger sandwiches. Place on a doily covered plate and serve at room temp. Eat the left overs.
Okay...I just woke up and somebody thought it was funny to stick things all over in my hat when I passed out last night. Great party Lorraine! Damn your eyes JP!
Thanks for the recipe, Rosemary. Yum.
You're welcome, Hat. I took a felt tip marker away from JP but somehow he found The Child's sticker collection. Still, I kinda like the little collage he created on the brim. Rather fetching.
I hope you all took some of the leftover pasta shells home with you. I ALWAYS make way too much - it's an Italian thing.
Nicole - that apple tart was to die for!
Jon & Sling - you guys made Jalapeños my new fave food! I've always been a huge jalapeño popper fan, but the Strawberry Hill made them better than ever. And Sling, the tuna inside and sharp cheddar on top...wow! Perfect!
rosemary - the PBJ hearts were the perfect complement to those jalapeños!
I'd go on with my compliments, but my head is throbbing. Must have been the wine, and the Coronas, and the wine, and did someone break out some cognac to have with all those amazing desserts? I have a faint recollection of holding a snifter filled with something while everyone "not smoked" their after dinner cigars.
Man, Lorraine, you really know how to liven up the work week! We'll have to have another one of these potlucks again real soon!
Hat - I SAW JP with the stickers and TOLD him to knock it off, but you know how kids are these days.
Next time the party's at my place, okay? I'll put the boat in the water and we can go for a cruise on the lake afterwards.
First off, I am inviting red7eric to ALL my dinner parties, virtual or otherwise!
AAahhh, Lorraine, reading your posts is like a breath of fresh air after having been trapped under building rubble for a week!
You rock!
Sorry I missed the dinner but I am showing up with Alka-Seltzer for those in need.
There,there, feel bettah, Gina.
So sorry I missed the potluck - hopefully I will catch it next month (this month?) - whenever.
I so agree with you about cooking for those you love. For me, the food is only an integral element of the gathering - not the SOLE PURPOSE of it. I want my family and friends to leave our parties with a fullness of HEART and SPIRIT, not just of tummy. I want them to all feel as though they had a wonderful time with wonderful conversation with wonderful people. And by the way, wasn't the food really good? Satiated in mind, spirit, and body.
just sayin
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