What’s for Dinner
Last week in our veggie box, we got—Nanita and Marqueño! Well, they didn’t arrive in the box, but with it. It was wonderful to see them, and as always, Robin luxuriated in their attention. I only wish the weather could have been better for their visit: it’s been rainy and cold. I think it actually got below freezing on a couple of days, which is a big deal for San Francisco. I don’t mind the rain—we’ve had a drought running for years, so the precipitation is really good—but I’ve become a delicate California flower in my ten years here, and I’m no longer equipped for freezing temperatures!
Still, it was a good week: in addition to getting to see my parents, we also had a birthday party for Sam that turned out to be a very nice chance to catch up with friends we haven’t seen in a while. Sam asked for “a pizza party with beer and party hats,” so that’s exactly what he got. I think it amused Sam very much when the waitress asked “who’s the birthday boy?”—obviously expecting it to be one of the three small kids around the table—and Sam got to say “Me!”
This week we’re continuing our social streak, hosting a Solstice party on Sunday. My good friend Matt, who’s gluten-intolerant, will be coming, so I’m trying to keep the majority of the menu wheat-free. It’s actually pretty easy given that any holiday feast centers around roasted beast and mashed potatoes. I’m thinking of getting fancy and having caviar with gluten-free blinis as an appetizer: there’s a local shop that offers “Sustainable California Caviar,” which I’ve had before and really enjoyed. Obviously it’s a big indulgence, but it’s been a couple of years since I last bought any caviar, so I think I can talk myself into it. For dessert I’ll make chocolate pots de creme, which are gluten-free without any tweaking.
Oh my god, speaking of holiday desserts, I also really need to get my fruitcakes started. Frankly I should have made them up right after Thanksgiving: the flavors get better the longer they sit.
I sort of feel like we ought to have a green vegetable on the table, but nothing in the box leaps out as good holiday feast fare: we got kale, leeks, broccoli, baby bok choy, lettuce, two cabbages, seven oranges, and six kiwis. I could make a salad, but I don’t think the lettuce will be at its best by Sunday. We also have a butternut squash still hanging around.
I think I’d better make the salad tonight. It’ll use up the carrots, and we have some leftover leek-and-broccoli rabe frittata that we can have with it. Tomorrow I’ll try out a new recipe for spaghetti with broccoli, garlic, and anchovies. Friday we’ll have kale, leek, and potato soup: Saturday I’m not cooking, so I hope we have leftovers. Sunday’s the big party, and I’m pretty sure we’ll be eating the leftovers for the rest of the week. I’ll just hope that Robin and I can eat the bok choy and the cabbages somewhere along the way—they’re the sort of thing that make a quick and easy lunch. The fruit, I’m not worried about!
