sarea | Yay USPS!

ropo, your packaged arrived! I can't believe how quickly it made it to my doorstep, since it was sent by media mail. It took like 3 days! Almost like you sent it by priority mail. I can't wait to get started on the book (Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl, for those who care), especially since I finished Two for the Road last night. I deliberately read that one slow, even though it is a super quick read, and was really sad when it was over.

For my cousin's dinner, we've narrowed it down to two main dishes: shrimp scampi with linguini or tarte à l'oignon. But I've been thinking about it, and am considering just making both. We do have 3 adults and 2 kids (though very young), and if I made the shrimp I'd have to double it anyway. So the menu looks like this right now:

- Appetizer: Creamy scallop soup
- Appetizer: Simple fresh salad with homemade vinaigrette
- Main course: Shrimp scampi with linguini
- Main course: Tarte à l'oignon
- Side dish: Mashed potatoes (made using my new favorite method from Judy Rodgers's The Zuni Cafe Cookbook)
- Dessert: Homemade black forest cake

At first I wasn't going to make the mashed potatoes since the main courses are already pretty rich/filling, but it appealed to my cousin (she's always wanted to go to Zuni Cafe), and since she's pregnant, and I love mashed potatoes, why not. Plus if there are leftovers, so what? However, I'm concerned that there isn't enough green represented. Everything but the salad is pretty heavy. Maybe some roasted asparagus or stir-fried chard is in order.

I don't have to worry about the salad or the cake -- my cousin's making the salad and her dessert slave is making the cake -- but other than the soup the other things shouldn't be THAT time consuming. I can prepare the white fish stock in advance, and I think I can probably make the tart crust in advance also. The shrimp is 'easy,' though it needs to be carefully timed. Timing is a concern with everything -- hard to prepare and finish everything all at once. :/ Some things are going to end up being lukewarm/cold by the time everything is ready, I suspect.

We're having it at her place, which they just moved into like last week. It's a totally remodeled house that they've been waiting to complete (which is why they had to store a bunch of their stuff at my place). I'm looking forward to trying out their induction stove ... but NOT looking forward to having to lug my cookware around.

It's been a really long week. I knew I was in trouble when it was Tuesday and I thought it was Friday. Can't wait till I can get out of here today!