When the Time Comes

Hi darling again. Between 4 & 6 did all the cooking I set out to do. It's a good thing I published my ambitious cooking plans - I had to keep my word, and indeed I did. Lentil soup, for tomorrow, is resting on the stove - always better the day after.

Must run downstairs to get spinach pie out of oven. Back. It looks amazing, like lemon meringue pie, lightly browned phyllo dough layers gathered on top. I made it in a favorite French ceramic pie dish. I made it carefully, letting the phyllo dough defrost all day. It unfolded from the package beautifully. Patience is a virtue. I wasn't in a hurry. It wasn't even a matter of patience. Just letting things, the day, unfold.

The lemon cake? A revelation. So delicious! I had a few crumbs. I took care making it, too. Buttered and floured the ins and outs of the fluted pan so that the cake would invert perfectly when the time came. Which it did. I sent D over to the neighbor's with a peace-sign third. D came back upstairs to report that she loved it, immediately ate it with her hands, offered hunks to her beautiful young children. It is that good, if I say so myself. Why I sent him over with it.

I enjoyed the cooking & kitchen aftermath. The radio was on, with Will interviewing the awesome Jess Klein (an example of my offhand top ten list missing a major one - her song about being ready when the time comes, with the big guns). I made three different dishes, one at a time. I kept things organized, washing things up in the sink and wiping the counter before starting the next recipe. I enjoy cooking - but not every day. And with cooking comes cleanup. So that's the thing about a home cook - there is a strategy I'd say, keeping it together, being ready when the time comes.