Living in the Moment

 

It’s been my favorite kind of week.  The weather is coolingg down, the garden is still giving plenty of tomato, cucumber and eggplant, the leaves are falling.  We also did a lot of entertaining.  The Bunny hosted a game night on Friday.  It was the first one with his new group.  I shockingly underestimated how much they could eat!  A big pot of Jambalaya – 3 lbs of boneless chicken, 1 lb of andouille, plenty of veg and 1.5 lbs of rice – gone in an instant.  Along with 2 loaves of Madison’s finest spicy cheese bread.  Good thing the freezer is always ready to help me entertain.  Out of the freezer and into the oven…spanakopita, hot dogs in dough, wild mushroom tart.  Problem solved!  I won’t be caught short on dinner next time!

Saturday we celebrated the 39th anniversary of my father’s 30th birthday.  A grand affair surrounded by loving friends.  It was “A taste of Tahtee…favorite bites from our travels.”  I made Bobotie (a South African beef and dried fruit stew), beef kebobs marinated in coconut and ginger, a Tuscan bruschetta topped with luxurious onions and liver.  The Bunny paired it all with a Vodka/coconut/Galangal/Kaffir Lime cocktail.  Then we moved to the table for handmade buccatini pasta with roasted pumpkin and hazlenuts, Bistcca Fiorentina, bitter salad and pomme fondant.  For dessert, mocha souffles, Amarula ice cream and tiny pecan butter cookies.

But where are the photos, Buttery Babe?  I have only one!  Just the centerpiece for our dining table before the guests arrived!  I was living in the moment.  Surrounded by our family and friends, the scents and sounds of my kitchen, and an excellent cocktail or two.  Enjoying everything with no thought for preserving it, just being there.  And it was great.  I highly recommend it once in a while.