Sometimes, There’s No Place Like Home
For years, I fretted about whether or not I’d have a date for New Year’s Eve. But now, I’m totally at peace with spending the evening at home alone (as long as I’m with my dog). Just today, I decided I’d cook one of my favorite Marcella Hazan recipes, Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner tomorrow. On the way back from the market, I ran into a neighbor, and spontaneously asked if she’d like to join me. She’s a producer and gets screeners of the latest movies, so we’ll be watching Nebraska, sipping martinis and eating pasta. 2013 is ending on a tasty note. What are your plans?
Christmas Homage
A few of you have asked about my Christmas menu, and I wanted to share a jumping off point. This month, Judy Rodgers, a great chef from Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, died at the age of 57. Zuni was a home away from home when I lived in the Bay Area, where I had so many peak dining experiences with friends. And once, I had the privilege of enjoying a lunch cooked by Judy at her house. So I knew I wanted my dinner this year to include a signature dish from her restaurant. After combing through the Zuni cookbook, I landed on the Caesar salad, which is the best I’ve ever tasted. I’ve never made the recipe before, but I know that Christmas will be the perfect occasion. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Illustration by Andy Warhol
Stay Hopeful
As I lay on the couch earlier in the week with a hacking cough, and nasal passages so swollen that I couldn’t taste the chicken broth I was force feeding myself, it was impossible to imagine hosting dinner for 8 on Christmas day. But now that I can breathe again, I’m finally starting to plan a menu. One step at a time.
Here’s hoping you have a festive and healthy weekend.
Holiday Stress
In anticipation of the holidays, I’ve gotten a nasty cold. I’m gargling with salt water, drinking hot tea with honey and lemon, slurping chicken soup, periodically sticking my head under a towel perched above a pot of simmering water enhanced with Vicks VapoRub. I even treated myself to a day spa so that I could sit in a steam room. Still the cold persists. I’ve been glued to the couch watching QVC and feeling sorry for myself, except today it was 80 degrees in L.A., so really what is there to complain about. And even better, my dear friend checks in with me every day, and over the weekend, he brought me dinner.
Archive for December, 2013
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