Vegetarian menu #1
For the first time in more than a year I had guests for lunch on Saturday: three Romanian friends, one of whom is vegetarian. I'm not a vegetarian, but I thought I could pull off a tasty lacto-vegetarian luncheon. The menu?
-- ginger shots (non-alcoholic, fresh ginger, lemon juice, honey and a pinch of cayenne) for a taste explosion
-- curried lentils tossed with fresh apples
-- pan-roasted Brussels sprouts and cranberries tossed with maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, feta and pecans
-- tartiflette (French potato casserole)
-- my mother's corn sautée with onions, green and orange peppers and heavy cream
-- spinach salad with mandarin oranges and red onion, tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil
And for dessert a classic cheese cake and a side of fruit (fresh mandarins and cherries)
Wow. So nice to cook again. And the conversation was amazing. We ended up discussing the "non-binary" trend, where I was the stodgy ol' conservative, but my guests took the more liberal side and discussed their views so articulately and compassionately that I could only smile at their intelligence and good-heartedness.
Thank you, Lord, that I live in such a time where delightful food and good conversation can thrive together.