Naomi: Cooking for one and for friends



For years now, even before I wrote the recipes in what I think of as my "static blog," Fiftytworecipesfrommymother, at the request of my children, Sarah and Sam, Sarah had been urging me to keep a daily (more or less) record of my cookings--the meals I make for myself in my (surprisingly) solitary life as well as those I make for friends. For whatever reasons, I've never done it.


But, after months of wandering, I've finally begun. As I haven't quite mastered the art of cooking for one, and love throwing together grand meals at the last minute, I have been encouraging friends to call to check on what I might have on hand any evening for a quick meal. Instructions can be found in my entry for March 20th--What's in Naomi's Refrigerator.

This is primarily a record of the meals I prepare for myself and others, accompanied by "mug shots" of the food (when I remember to photograph before eating). Shot by my phone, with no styling, they may not capture their subjects at their best, but so be it.



Saturday, May 12, 2012

May 12. Compost trimming. Chile Rellenos. Ivan's Party

Second Saturday of the month is community work day at the Westminster Garden.  Last month was a moment for serious mud.  Today, with Jackie as a visiting gardener, and a post-garden lunch date at Lisa and Gar's, I didn't want to get too down and dirty.  Jackie and I found the perfect job, chopping up over-aged vegetables and assorted weeds into appropriately small pieces to encourage compost disintegration.   Mildly obsessive, cleaner and easier than most garden tasks, we were two happy composters.

Frying Chiles (Madison Condon, 2012)
Jackie headed off for afternoon graduation parties, while I went to Lisa and Gar's.  Lisa had bought four splendid pasilla (or were they poblano?) chiles, which we leisurely turned into a fine lunch of chile rellenos, preceded by left-over shrimp/corn chowder and steak.  As I peeked at the recipe, we were inspired by the transformation underway in this photo.  It's always a surprise --takes a while--but definitely worth it--especially with a few cooks at work.
Fueled by the excellent meal, we even began to edit Lisa's  Vietnam pictures--more on that anon.
Then home and on to Ivan's graduation party for the California members of the family at Tahitian Terrace, the complex where cousin Andre's cousin Johnny lives.  Catered by Mrs. Garcia's of Venice, we had a buffet of salmon, chicken, pasta, caprese and green salads and for dessert a huge Italian cake as well as cannolis and sfogliatelles

A familiar New York Italian meal with spectacular views of Santa Monica Bay and lots of left-overs for my refrigerator.


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