Countdown: 49 Days

Phone conversation:

"Mom, is there a history of insanity in our family?"

"Well, there's Uncle...what? Why?"

"I've offered to host a wedding reception at our house for a friend."

"That's nice of you."

"I'm cooking for the reception, too."

"How many people?"

"Forty some people. Possibly fifty."

"That's a lot of people. That's a lot of work."

"I'm making the cake, too."

"I see. Well, if you're going to cook why not bake, too? When's the wedding?"

"It's in seven weeks.'

Pause. "I think you could be the first certifiable case for insanity in our family."

K.'s wedding is November 19.

In my inability to distinguish cheerful obliviousness & blind optimism from dementia, I move forward with plans to host and cook for the reception. I'm a huge huge fan of The Food Whore, a professional caterer, whose blog is equal parts cautionary tale and horror story (and hysterically funny, by the way). Why, after reading every single one of her posts, I continue not to run away screaming in fear is probably a testament to my peerless lack of common sense. The woman is a professional! I'm a dilettante! I have ADD! What in the hell makes me think I can do this? But my wedding was the happiest day of my life; and if I can contribute in any way to make K's wedding as special to her, then we press onward. After all, as Hubby is fond of saying, "Fortes fortuna adiuvat."

On the other hand, for those more foolhardy than bold, the wine fridge is mere steps away in the kitchen in which I will be stationed to cook. There's a good tradition in this house of drinking and cooking at large parties. For the housewarming, Jenn and I popped and downed pretty pink cans of Sofia sparkling wine. For Joetta's baby shower, Jules, Jenn and I snuck off to the laundry room to drink a bottle of champagne, like a bunch of teenagers hiding out from our parents.

The proposed menu, based on K.'s requests:

Passed Hors D'oeuvres

- Wild mushroom pomponnettes
- Pesto bruschetta and Romesco bruschetta
- Paté Chaud
- Baby bliss potatoes with Asiago soufflé

Salad

- Strawberry spinach salad with gorgonzola cheese and toasted almonds, tossed with a citrus vinaigrette

Buffet

- Honey-Balsamic Roasted Salmon
- Grilled Chicken Paillard with Marsala Cream Sauce
- Israeli couscous salad
- Caramelized onion crème fraiche mashed potatoes
- Garlic sauteed haricots verts
- Roasted fall vegetables

Dessert

- Red velvet cake

The wedding cake is red velvet cake, to go with the wedding colors of red and white. The painful thing is, I really don't like cakes -- and I've now made seven red velvet cakes in as many days. Thank God for patient friends who are willing to be taste testers. And Amanda? Bless you for offering to be my sous chef. Whether or not you know it, you'll also be my drinking buddy that night.

Oh, and I'm making the wedding invitations, too. And the week before the wedding, I'm teaching a class at our local demonstration kitchen/ gourmet store.

Have I mentioned dementia?

Comments

[Nic]

I guess it's a sign of insanity on my part, too, that this still sounds like fun to me. Hard work, to be sure, but appealing nevertheless. I'm sure everything will be wonderful in the end. The menu sounds very promising.

[Cath]

Hi Nic! I think part of the allure is the fine line between fun and nightmare that's bound to be crossed that day. I'm sure it'll go fine...but you never know. :-) Ah well, at the very least, it'll make a good story. Our first tasting is in two weeks so we'll see how the menu holds up. This red velvet cake torture needs to end soon though; I have never met a more recalcitrant cake.

[Stephanie]

We must share the same brand of madness, I'm afraid.

When someone needs food, I can't keep my hand down (pick me, pick me!), even though I *know* I'll need at least two days of bedrest afterwards...

Much luck to you...

[Cath]

Stephanie,

Thanks -- I will definitely need that luck. :-) I suspect all of us are gripped by the same culinary lunacy...and thank God for that.

[Becky]

Wow! That sounds Awesome! It's an odd sickness we have, isn't it? The menu sounds great, when should I come??

[Ruth]

I loved the post. Thanks for the laugh.

The menu sounds wonderful and as Billy Joel sang "you may be crazy but just the lunatic they're looking for". Have a great time with it and share the gory details.

[Cath]

Becky, come between 4:48 and 9:15 in the evening. You'll get front seat to see a meltdown. Bring popcorn. Renee pointed out to me tonight that so many of us foodies relish this sort of thing -- so why the heck don't any of you live closer?! :-)

Ruth, gory details with be a-forthcoming, I promise. K. has moved the venue already, with six weeks to go. Now I have to re-plan my cooking stations to accommodoate a completely unfamiliar layout. i can't wait to see what the next 36 days will produce. Is it bad that I am enjoying myself?