Food

Maybe I'm always a little bit hungry because of Weight Watchers, but my mind has sure been on food the last couple of days. Part of it is that I had this leftover meatloaf, which I adore. So yesterday went by in a blur (well, not really) because I was anticipating cold meatloaf (sob, no sandwich because the bread adds points) and marinated beets (no points). But I had a really great lunch at the Community Arts Center with Jean--what they call a salmontini. It was sort of a small soup bowl with lettuce in the bottom, four asparagus spears, a good-sized piece of poached salmon, and a cherry tomato decorating it. A good light refreshing lunch. Jean added ranch dressing to hers, but I forebore (is that a word?). Salmon, I found out, is not point-friendly, probably because it's a fatty fish. But as Jean said, "It's so good for you" and I would add, "It's so good!" So today, I had food on my mind again--specifically a tongue sandwich at Carshon's, which I had when I went to lunch with my friend Dick Hoban.
Tonight I had a meeting at the house, getting together a poet and the illustrator (my neighbor Susan) who's doing his book--she had pencil sketches and wanted input before she started on the irreversible color. Melinda was here with her superb technical knowledge of what would reproduce, etc. Because I'm on that great "cook with what you have" kick, I made a dip out of three cubes of pesto, a bit of yogurt, juice of half a lemon, sour cream,and salt and pepper. Pretty good, if I do say so. Then I made fromage fort, Jacques Pepin's recipe which he says came from his father who would use leftover bits of cheese, any kind, this way. Take about 8 oz. cheese, and blend with a garlic clove, 1/4 c. white wine, and a good grind of black pepper. I had a little blue cheese in mine, which of course dominates. But in retrospect, I think it would be best to grate cheddar, etc. I finally had to fish some lumps out--and I used a bit too much wine, so that it was more a dip than a spread, but still good with crackers and fresh vegetables--carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, and broccoli. I'll cook the leftover broccoli for Jacob on Saturday.
Even so, while we were drinking wine and nibbling, my mind was on the leftovers still in my fridge--a tiny tiny bit of meatloaf, a tiny bit of the pasta I fixed the other night, more marinated beets--I finally had a great dinner about 8:00. Now I have to go to wash the wine glasses, etc. To his credit, when I thanked the poet for carrying the wine glasses to the sink, he said, "I'll even wash them if you want," but I assured him that wasn't necessary."
Today was a good retirement day--got up fairly early but did my free writing, read the paper, did my yoga, showered and washed my hair and got ready for the day, made the dips, started on my email--and Dick was here for lunch. So I haven't accomplished a lot, but did start on a friend's memoir that he has brought me to edit. Now, I think it's time for a mystery after I do dishes, put the laundry in the dryer, scrub my face, and bring the dog in. Nice day.