Christina's Table

Tonight was a quite night.  Just mum and I for dinner, fixing whatever was available.  So…. we had a grilled spatch-cocked chicken, grilled artichokes (with a grilled lemon aoili) , grilled (roasted) peppers, grilled corn on the cob (desilked, soaked in water, drained and dehusked, rubbed w/ a butter compound and rehusked, and then grilled- on the cool side of the grill), fried greenish heirloom tomatoes, sauteed beet greens and we had a white Rhone.

Meals are about congruent tastes and whatever is in season and figuring out how to meld them.  I think that is something that I do well (at least to my tastes and I think to those that I serve).  As I recently told a friend,  I am not a great cook, but I like to think that I make up for talent with enthusiasm and great ingredients! 

Sunday night’s dinner was a celebration for a few of my friends who had just finished the Susan G  Koman Walk for the Cure (a 3 day 60 mile event to raise money for breast cancer).  Last year when they asked me if I wanted to join them, I respectfully declined and promised to feed them, Reiki them, massage their feet and make them some of my ‘magic oil’ for any other sore muscles.   

I broiled a few fresh wild caught Coho fillets with some lemon slices on top and in case they wanted something heavier, I also grilled a tri-tip that I had seasoned with jerk like spices.   I can’t remember all we had because we had tons of side dishes- garlic spinach, sauteed asparagus, pasta salad, corn on the cob, fresh green beans with heirloom tomatoes,  bruschetta and I can’t remember what else except one of my last bottles of the 2007 Pax Rose. 

I won’t however forget how they looked when they arrived, after being feed, or after their foot rubs.  Those are the lasting memories of that meal (and the Pax of course).  

The table tonight was empty, but I didn’t go hungry.  I had plans with my friend Marthe today and it was a great afternoon and evening.  We got to stop in and see part of the Jim Henson exhibt at the International Gallery, then we went to Etete for dinner, (my FAVORITE Ethopian restraunt in the City), followed by David Sedaris at Lisner.  In short a great day- incredible art and amazing food, followed by belly laughs.  Who could ask for more?

For the second night in a row I had the opportunity to cook for old family friends, in this case it was Aunt Dorothy and Dave.  My mum and Dorothy have known each other since they were 14!!!  I made a spitchcocked pollo di avolo, grilled artichokes (with aioli), roasted sweet potatoes, butter bathed japenesse turnips, and bruschette made from heirloom tomatoes.  I was lenient on the wine choice- I let everyone choose what they wanted- I had a Provencal Rose, Dave had a Shariz, and mum and Dorothy had an AMAZING 2003 Weingut Riesling- YUMMMM (they were all Yummy actually).  I would just like to add that we were canning tomatoes during this time- we got 10 pints and 4 qts from 38lbs of organic tomatoes, which brings this year’s total to 28 pints and 10 qts.  Whoohoo!

I had the opportunity to cook for people who have known me almost my entire life tonight (the friend that sends me Hatch Chilies and one of her sons).  We all know our  best and worst qualities and love each other for all of them and this creates an a great dynamic for the dinner table with the telling of old stories and new ones.  I prepared a yogurt spiced (cardamom, cumin, pepper, salt, chili, etc) soak for some lamb which I later grilled and I served it with a fresh salad of heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, chili, and red onion, tzicki, grilled rosemary potatoes, sauteed lemon thyme heirloom tomatoes and squash, sauteed turnip greens, and an amazing 2005 Shiraz/ Viognier blend by Yalumba (the Barossa- $12 at Costco a great wine for a great price!).  We all had great fun, at least I did and everyone else seemed to as well.