Cooking isn't a performance art - or shouldn't be. Perhaps it's unrealistic to hope to be a model of serenity throughout, but if you can manage to relax, both the food and the evening will be better.
The answer is to cook in a way that doesn't involve huge amounts of effort and time. Ease yourself into a repertoire, make the food welcoming rather than fussy and remember that it's not a test of your worth and acceptability: it's just dinner".
- Nigella Lawson
The other night we had friends for dinner, as we often do. I was quite prepared.
I've gotten the whole *cooking for a crowd* thing pretty down-pat.......very little planning, an easy to make and assemble main course, a super simple appetizer, and most of the work (and clean up!) done before the guests arrive.
I genuinely like to just enjoy the time we have with friends and family and I really resent being stuck in the kitchen for any length of time.
But then there are those evenings, like the other night, when I just don't get it right.
The food was prepped: main course cooking, salad dressing made, salad assembled and two side dishes ready to go in the oven.
As we were sipping drinks and nibbling on appetizers, I was supposed to get those side dishes in the oven and ready to go....but I forgot.
Because I never stop talking.
And so they went in late and we were waiting and waiting and waiting until, finally, we couldn't keep the pregnant guest waiting any longer, and we decided to eat the meal in *shifts*.
Salad and main course first.....sides dishes to join later.
Shifts.
Not exactly the well-planned night I had envisioned.
I love Nigella's quote (above) because it so perfectly sums up the way I felt about the whole thing.....it's just dinner.
No big deal. No stress.
It's it SO bad to be having SO much fun with your guests that you forget dinner? I think not!
It was perfect.
The food was delicious, as it came out of the oven (oh so slowly), and we had an amazing catch-up.
Good food. Great company. All in all, a lovely night!
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