Friends and Food

This weekend, we had the opportunity to enjoy a home-cooked meal by our friends on both Friday and Saturday night. It's night like this that remind me just how fortunate I am to have met the people in the life that I have...both because they're generous, intelligent and kind people and because they cook some really good food.

Mind you, our friends aren't vegans. They're just charming omnivores willing to prepare food we can all enjoy which is very appreciated. On Friday night, we were treated to an Indian dinner by friends recently transplanted to Minnesota from the East coast. They made saag and Punjabi curried kidney beans with basmati rice from Indian Slow Cooker by Anupy Singla which was tasty despite nervousness by the cooks that it may be too spicy. They also reintroduced me to my love of green mango pickles which are a fun way to add that slightly acidic/sour, salty kick that makes food sing. The food was definitely comforting and filling. It was delightful not unlike the hosts who had me laughing through almost a whole bottle of wine :)

Punjabi Curried Kidney Beans 

 The Indian dishes reminded me of my college years when I was fortunate to share a duplex with two sisters from the Punjabi region who were wonderful human beings and good cooks willing to share with me some of their mother's recipes (and pickles..her mango pickles were out of this world.) The kidney dish reminded me of the Minnesotan roommate who lived with us too and this dish (or one similar) was her go to for our potlucks. Now the three of them live in California and are raising families and thanks to facebook not too far away...though I do miss breaking bread with them and laughing together.

Tonight, we were treated to a smorgasbord of appetizers and a multi-course vegan meal prepared by some other friends. I should have taken pictures, but I was too busy stuffing my face. Sorry. They made a variety of spreads; including, homemade hummus and a spinach with chickpeas and garlic thing that would have made Popeye go gaga. One of my favorite appetizers was a heirloom cherry tomato bruschetta with fresh basil and passionfruit balsamic vinegar they found at the farmers' market.  So, I could have happily ended the feast at these apps, but that was just getting the meal started. They also offered a chilled avocado and arugula soup (am I at a michelin star rated household or what?!) and for the main course a curried lentil and rice loaf with carmelized onions. It was all delicious, but again the food had to share the limelight with the friends who again had us laughing.

Good food. Good laughs. Good life.

Good night.

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