I delight in both cooking for others and entertaining guests. However cooking for others and entertaining also wears me out — even if it is just cooking for family. That’s why, when Andrew texted me this morning that he’d gotten the day wrong when he and Alex could come over for Alex’s birthday dinner and would it be possible to do it tomorrow, I felt delighted. I’d planned a too-elaborate menu* (which is typical for me) and was not sure how I would get it all done in time for dinner. I’d planned on starting the risotto by caramelizing the onions yesterday, but I was too lazy to do so. I’d also planned on roasting the eggplant for the caponata. Ditto. Finally, I was going to completely make the tiramisu so it could chill for at least 24 hours. Nope, that didn’t happen either. I was also going to start the focaccia (the sourdough version that rises in the fridge).

So when I learned that I had a whole day to do what I’d planned on doing yesterday, I felt like a schoolgirl hearing that my history exam was postponed because of a snow day. I made the caramelized onions today and the house smells delightful!

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*Planned Menu:

Appetizers

• Cheese (two Italian, one cow and one goat) and crackers
• Caponata served alongside focaccia

Main

• Caramelized onion risotto
• Deep dish pizza
• Cauliflower and lentil salad
• Roasted red peppers

Dessert

• Tiramisu
• Espresso