Last night I held what will be the first of more than a dozen French-style picnic dinners at my home to support local charities. From Habitat for Humanity to the arts organizations that enrich our area, these “dinner for dollars” events were initially conceived as a way to go beyond the normal limits of a book.
I had the idea that my book, groundbreaking in the sense that it was the first of its kind to address a very sensitive area of interior design, could be used for the greater good. That while it is certainly charming and serves as a widely read reference book for design professionals and artists, as well as a book for renovators, remodelers, design book addicts, and Francophiles, perhaps it could be used in a way to expand the good. common. That it could be a driver of philanthropy.
More than a dozen of these dinners have been auctioned at local live auctions, held at annual galas and have raised around $ 30,000 for philanthropic initiatives of all kinds. And that’s a really cool thing.
Last night’s dinner was one of two that were the result of a bidding war between two friends. Each reached their bid limit and, hating the idea of losing, they asked me if I would make two dinners instead. Because he raised double the amount of money for charity, I gladly pleased him. The other winning bidder will come with their guests next Saturday.
I headed to the store directly after my morning tennis game. My preference is to support locally owned merchants who sell locally grown produce. Ah! What a delightful Saturday morning ritual it has become for me. Wide awake for a solid hour and a half of chasing tennis balls, along with a thermos of hot coffee, I always arrive at the store early enough to avoid the crowds.
Scanning the bakery islands left me alone with a French baguette, which would be used a few hours later to soak me in a fabulous feast of fresh mussels in a white wine sauce.
The gourmet cheese island was full of delicacies. My personal favorite, a blue Danish, was swept away by the planned endive salad with toasted walnuts and pears, which, when drizzled with a homemade emulsion, would prove to be the perfect precursor to the main course.
He went to the island of fresh produce, where it was time to collect the most aromatic herbs I could find. Sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and flat-leaf parsley were pouring into my shopping cart. Rosemary topped the buttery toasted cashews she made fresh from the oven for my guests as they arrived; thyme and parsley were mixed with the boiling broth of chicken broth and white wine, where the mussels cooked quickly. The fresh brussels sprouts, sautéed in my giant copper skillet, turned out to be earthy and nutty, and very flavorful with a few thick-cut pieces of bacon added just in case (is there anything that doesn’t get wonderful with the addition of a little bit of bacon? ?)
Dairy Island contained heavy cream, a must-have mainstay in my crème brulee. That, along with real unsalted butter and high-quality extra virgin olive oil, provides all the fat the diet requires (along with real ice cream, of course). Artificial ingredients are not allowed in the diary!
The butcher cut a bone-in beef tenderloin. Oh my gosh, it was divine! Hearty and flavorful, with a sauce whipped with chicken broth and chunks from the bottom of the pan (among others) gave it the calming quality I was fighting for (and my body was craving).
Speaking of calming: there’s just nothing quite like crème brulee for that last scoop. My fourteen year old son loved using the kitchen torch to give each serving that fabulous crunchy top; his reward was two servings instead of one and mine was watching him swallow it with sheer delight.
I confess to being a lousy cook from Monday to Friday. Work gets in my way. Like my long journey, shared football, and frankly the physical and mental exhaustion at the end of most days. Weekdays find us “catch like catch.” Pasture. Chopping cold cuts and naked cheeses. Nuts and fruits. Raw vegetables or good organic soups, although they usually come from a can. As unfortunate as it may sound, it is still my Monday through Friday MO dinner.
So when the luxury of a weekend day comes when I have nothing else to do but prepare for dinner, I find it, surprisingly, absolutely delicious. I love sprucing up my house: arranging the pillows on the sofas and lighting the candle in their chandeliers; arrange flowers in a container and rearrange chairs around the dining room table; polishing silver and ironing bedding; preheat my oven and warm my heart to serve others.
Entertainment requires a focus on others. And far from oneself. Because it is such a time-consuming process that all thoughts about the self must be essentially abandoned. There’s no time for a manicure if hors d’oeuvres need to be made early. Forget worrying about dressing up as a glamorous cat when you poke your head in and out of a hot oven and stick your arms into sinks of soapy water. Ditch those pointy heels for a decent pair of ballerinas, as you’ll be on your legs for a good eight hours or so.
Entertainment requires lifting your spirits to cheer up your guests. It means stopping thinking about your problems and trying to make everyone around you feel comfortable. Laughing, stretching, reaching beyond your comfort zone by breaking bread with complete strangers you have worked for since dawn to create an evening to remember.
“Be careful to entertain strangers, because some have entertained angels without knowing it.” This is the Old Testament verse of the Bible that I have personally claimed as my commandment for hospitality. It can be interesting or surprising, after all the food has been obtained and put away, after all the dishes have been prepared and consumed, and after all the dishes have been washed, dried and put back in place, always is-forever!-I, the entertainer, who has received the richest blessing. Filling the stomach of a friend or stranger, serving in the humblest way, brings with it the most powerful reward.
I hope this week you reach out to someone who could use a dose of food. Corporal or not. Because by nurturing yourself, you will be nurtured. In the exhaustion of the aftermath of your evening, you will find a refreshment of the soul. And when you wake up in the morning, you will be at peace with the world.