Sunday, December 05, 2004

Culinary Occasions of the Heart

As some women do crafty projects or savor dressing their home, I love to spend the occasional cozy Sunday afternoon making a special meal for my loved ones. I take a craftsman's pride in dishes well done.....dishes designed to nourish and please family and friends. Dinner created for family occasions.

Icy rain drizzling on our back patio. A fire warming our family room. Ron and the dog half-awake, watching football and golf. Andrea gone to a church middle school event. I baked two bundt cakes, one for dessert and one for my son and his new wife. (I'm not convinced either cooks yet....) The take-out cake was simple vanilla with raisins, finished with vanilla glaze....perfect for breakfast, snacking , anything. Dessert was a French vanilla-fudge marble cake with fudge glaze.

Sunday dinner for six....Ron and I, Andrea, Kevin (21 year old stepson), Ryan and Giovanna...was a Dijon-apple glazed pork roast, my in-demand garlicky potatoes, creamed spinach with onions and, of course, French vanilla-fudge marble cake.

We talked and talked, and laughed until we cried. Our sons.....ages 21 and 26.....ate like they hadn't tasted home-cooking for months. We loaded their departing arms with cake, beginners cookbooks and old videos. We hugged and exchanged words of love as they left.

It was the kind of family dinner you take for granted when you're young.


It was the kind of dinner you hold in your heart as you get older, and they become busy adults you don't see nearly enough.

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