Soul Food

#26 Soul food. What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

I ate very well this year.  As evidenced by the few pounds I’d like to drop and then never mention again:  

I went to cooking class at L’Atelier.

I attended an Alto-Adige wine dinner at Frasca with the Leeds MBA Food and Wine club.

We celebrated J’s birthday and Mother’s Day at Carmine’s on Penn.

We took my mom to Colterra in Niwot for her birthday.

I helped old family friends celebrate their 30^th anniversary at The Flagstaff House.

We ate at Prima twice although I can’t remember why.

In Telluride we had two amazing meals at La Marmotte and Honga’s.

In Colorado Springs I had escargot at La Baguette. 

My roommate and I went to L’Atelier on an absurdly regular basis including random Fridays, my birthday and a wine dinner or two.

Not to mention that we visit Radda, Mateo and Salt altogether to frequently. 

I wouldn’t have any issue with a budget if I didn’t enjoy eating out so much.

Here’s the thing though- I couldn’t tell you what I ate at most of those meals. I know each was perfection and more likely than not included a filet –medium rare- and was accompanied by copious amounts of wine.

What really touched my soul this year in terms of food were two different holiday meals. 

I cooked for J and for my BFF who is now my roommate (but wasn’t then) on Valentine’s Day.  It was my first time making marinara from scratch and I made mozzarella stuffed meatballs as well.  Then I went ahead and whipped cream to go with the blackberries.  By hand. Because with all the kitchen gadgets I have I apparently don’t have an electric mixer. Which is absurd. But not as absurd as whipping this cream by hand. It took me 40 minutes. During part of which I had to have the bowl on ice. But it was totally worth it. (Plus it gave me mad respect for how people used to cook before electricity!)

It wasn’t that this food was particularly special.  It was the act of cooking for people I love and who love me. And it was the experience of making a tricky holiday (for three single girls) a little bit better.  

For Thanksgiving we used to host huge parties.  When I was a little girl I remember having upwards of 20 people over. My dad would roast an enormous turkey and everyone would bring sides to share.  Our Thanksgiving dinners have gotten smaller and smaller over the years and this year it was just my mom, J and I.  J was in charge of the turkey.  Mom was in charge of most of the sides.  I made a lovely stuffing and two pies and then took over on the gravy.  Again- it wasn’t that the food was *so* special.  Even though it was special. I mean, J set up a pot for turkey stock to cook in so we could make the gravy with that instead of chicken stock. And my stuffing was pretty fancy. It really was the act of cooking with people I love and who also love me. And it was the luxury of time spent not fighting with family and really enjoying each other and the company.

‘Course I think that’s what food is about anyway. It’s part of why I love to cook.  To bring people together.