World Food Day: Bringing people together.

What is it about getting together over food? Having a meal is always better when you share it with others. As far back as you go in time, people always gathered around meals. Young and old. Rich or poor. While growing up, some of my fondest memories were awaiting the arrival of family and friends for meals served around big celebrations or just because. Buffet-style or sit down dinners,  these gatherings were never just reserved for the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. These were for birthdays, graduations,  weekends and maybe even a random Wednesday. 

I equally loved going to other people's homes to enjoy the conversations around the table. I liked the way people prepare the tables for a meal with condiments and tableware. My grandma always served a small dish of pickles and olives with the cutest appetizer forks. It was always a race to steal an olive or pickle slice without her seeing because she was old school and didn't allow you to eat - or even ask what you were having for dinner - until you sat down to the meal. She would prepare the breakfast table just as dolled up as dinner. It wasn't as perfect as Martha Stewart would have it - it was more natural and not quite as rigid. She positioned grapefruit spoons next to the grapefruit and each had ridges at the tip for scooping out the sweet and sour pulp. She'd have your personal-sized French press coffee next to that, toast with various jams and jellies and maybe a soft-boiled egg in its own special dish. I loved all this; all the special details around a table.

I have an older brother and sister and all three of us grew up to embrace cooking. We like to celebrate nearly everything and we like to do it around good food. Each of us collected old family-favorite recipes to recreate within our own homes. None of us miss a beat and we typically spend a significant amount of time in the kitchen strategizing, preparing and conversing about the meal. It's nice to see it all being passed down from my grandparents to my parents and on to us. And now we have our own kids taking on the same traditions built around the food table.

Last weekend was no different when celebrating with food. My parents came over for an early birthday weekend for my mom. We were attending a community play one night and they came over a day early to celebrate with a special dinner. The meal took on a ridiculous role when we busted out Alaskan spot prawns, oysters roasted in the shell, salmon drizzled with crab and buerre blanc sauce and a roasted beet salad with pistachios and goat cheese - not to mention the wine. It put a big smile on all our faces and we even had to hold my 3 1/2 year-old back from eating all the prawns and oysters. And, yes, this may be bragging, but here's a little photo gallery of our meal:

Oysters roasted in the 500 degree oven and served with garlic citrus butter.



Elias enjoying the oyster appetizer.



Alaskan spot prawns sauteed in lime, lemon and olive oil.



Salmon, crab and buerre blanc sauce with the rockin' beet salad.



No gnocchi for me.

I was inspired by my CSA box recently and decided to attempt making something I normally don't enjoy: gnocchi. These flour and potato balls never impressed me much, but, connoisseurs of fine Italian food seem to love this and I thought making it would help me gain an understanding of this dish I find so bizarre. I know it's served much in the same manner as pasta with sauce or some butter and sage or Parmesan cheese. And what in the hell is not to like about sauce, butter or Parmesan?

This little adventure started out innocently enough when I got my CSA box (because of a killer Groupon deal) and found potatoes and spinach nestled inside. On the little brochure filled with ideas for all the ingredients, I found myself hovering over the gnocchi recipe. I've never met a gnocchi I liked, but I've also never made it and was slightly surprised by my enthusiastic decision to make some. My husband wasn't home to steer me in another direction - which he has boldly done before. I was on my own and off I went.

Below is my photo recap of the preparation. It was time consuming, but an interesting process none-the-less. However, I wish I had better news but, after I boiled the balls and mixed them with olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese, they still tasted like flour balls. Occasionally, I'd get a bite that actually had potential, but for the most part it was two thumbs down. So, unless someone changes my mind, I'm steering clear of this old Italian dish. CIAO!


Flour, salt and pepper.

 

Sauteed and dried the spinach.



Mixed the flour, boiled potatoes and spinach together.

Rolled dough mix into long tubes.

Cut the tubes into one-inch pieces.



Pretty enough, but they tasted like flour balls with olive oil and Parmesan.