So I dutifully showed up at BWI last night for the rotator flight to take me and maybe 200 of my closest friends to Qatar. We got there early, but a huge line had already formed to check in at the AMC terminal. Shortly after we began the airport shuffle, pushing out bags ahead of us a couple feet at a time, the rumor started. The flight was delayed. Sure enough, within a half hour, it was official. The flight was not even close to BWI, so the rotator cycle would be delayed for 24 hours. So we got our bags tagged and weighed, got boarding passes, then took our stuff and, for those of us in the local area, went home. Those for whom this was just a waypoint got hotel and meal vouchers, So Jeannie and I got one more night together at home ... and an opportunity for a second round at separation anxiety.
The delay does, however, give me an opportunity to knock out a few things which had slipped through the cracks at my departure time got ever closer. I can now give a report on the longest farewell weekend I've ever been a part of.
Friday night, friends from work, the boat crew and cigar shop days converged on the house. We had previously decided to violate one of the cardinal rules of entertaining ... never try out a new recipe on dinner guests. Starting with a totally new cuisine in our repertoire, Afghan, we violated the rule twice. Jeannie had previously cooked Qabili Pilau for us ... a wonderful rice dish made with chunks of lamb, carrots and raisins, and vibrantly spiced. We also did a repeat on a sauteed yellow squash dish. Then the psycho part ... I insisted on doubling the number of dishes served, and adding dishes we'd never cooked before. One, a Mushroom Stew with chicken and tomatoes, mildly seasoned, was a pretty straightforward, one-pan dish. But we needed an appetizer, so I opted for Aushak, delectable Afghan leek dumplings with a zesty sauce of ground lamb and topped with yogurt.
When all was said and done, we had four cooks working in the kitchen (two assembling and cooking the Aushak alone using prepared ingredients provided by the sous chef (me), and dinner was ultimately served an hour late. But it was, IMHO, a huge success. The food came out great, everyone helped themselves to seconds, and everyone also eagerly took leftovers home. Plus, we put a huge dent in my huge stash of beer. The last of the guests left shortly before midnight, we cleaned up the kitchen and turned in.
Saturday, I was up early prepping for Farewell #2, the kids were coming over for a late lunch and I was cooking Tyler Florence's Lasagna al Forno (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/lasagna-al-forno-recipe/index.html), perhaps the best lasagna I've ever had. John showed up at 11AM ... I didn't think he ever even woke up that early on a weekend, while Stephie and Mike arrived an hour or so later, held up by bad weather in the Winchester area. Starting with beers and my world-famous Bruschetta, the talk naturally turned to hockey. Omce again, a good time was had by all, and the day also gave me pause to think about not seeing the kids often enough. Gotta do better at that after my return.
Sunday was the (relatively) lazy day, all we had on tap was dinner at someone else's house ... I got a reprieve from kitchen duty. Dave and Marsha Malkin, friends from EYC, invited us over for dinner, and a truly splendid repast it was ... braised short ribs. Utterly delicious, the meal reminded me why all those braised short rib recipes in the cooking magazines look so enticing. And it also reminded me of one of my character flaws. I'm really jealous ... jealous of the Malkins' ability to put on a dinner party and make it seem effortless. I invite two people over for dinner, and I'm flailing about intil dinner is on the table, but Dave and Marsha make it look so damned easy!
As dinner was windng down, we relaxed in the living room to watch the Superbowl. As it happens, the Steelers and the Packers are my favorite NFL teams, and I'd spent the previous couple weeks trying to convince myself that it didn't matter who won, I'd be happy. Alas, my efforts were in vain, I'm really a serious Steelers fan, and my hopes sank as the clock ran down, and Big Ben threw those interceptions leading to Pittsburgh's undoing. The saving grace of the day was that it was a consummately shitty sports day for Pittsburgh, as our Washington Capitals spanked the penguins in a 3-0 shutout at Verizon Center. Wasn't it the penguins' coach who recently called Michael Neuvirth "shaky" as a goalie? Eat your words, buttmunch! Rock the Red!
No comments:
Post a Comment