Family Feast

Apprentices have asked me, what is the most exalted peak of cuisine? Is it the freshest ingredients, the most complex flavors? Is it the rustic, or the rare? It is none of these. The peak is neither eating nor cooking, but the giving and sharing of food. Great food should never be taken alone. What pleasure can a man take in fine cuisine, unless he invites cherished friends, counts the days until the banquet, and composes an anticipatory poem for his letter of invitation? ~Nicole Mones, The Last Chinese Chef

When I came across the above quote in Nicole Mones's excellent novel on Chinese cuisine, I instantly loved it. I'm moving in a week, and I plan on posting a copy of it in my kitchen to remind me of the great truth--company trumps cuisine. It is only people that are eternal.

This past weekend was another great one of family and food, shared with some of the same people I enjoyed the crab feast with. I love the cooking just as much as the party itself, but even that has a communal aspect to it, because I'm spending all my kitchen time with my mother. We have a great rhythm, and it's a joy to share the kitchen with her. Plus, after many years of entertaining, we have reached a point where everything is perfectly relaxed. We cooked over the course of two days, and had plenty of time to sit with a beer before our guests came.

A few pictures from the event:

Lovely place settings.

Drink trolley



The spread

Close-up: beautiful greens

Ironic napkins!