Dinner with Nemo

I know you're right!   I'm warm; I have food; the power didn't go off.  NEMO was historical, but I am blessed.  But I have to admit, I am BORED!

I have been housebound for four days.  First, by intimidation with the incessant chanting of weather pundits forcing fear down my throat.  Not unnecessarily, I must admit, but being a wimp by nature, it took its toll.

When NEMO finally visited North Massapequa, of course, necessity took precedence , and I watched the world from second story windows noting the absence of vehicles on nearby Bethpage State Parkway.

The next day it truly was a winter wonderland; however, one that demanded respect.  And I obeyed. Patiently waiting for my faithful landscaper to arrive and plow a path to my garage.  Mercifully, he arrived by 8 p.m. with an incredible band of hard workers who piled the snow into a truck and made my home accessible once more.

Still I was BORED!  Not only with TV, but with my beloved  iPad, my numerous downloaded  eBooks, and perhaps, I must admit, I was lonely.

We all have avenues of escape.  Mine is cooking.  I checked the fridge, counted out what ingredients were available and set out to keep busy.

Then I made an amazing discovery.  Each recipe became not quite a visit, but a memory of a loved one who had shared that particular experience with me.

My first project {based on available ingredients} was Marinara Sauce from "The Sopranos Cookbook."  Gregory, my grandson, had sent me this small volume the year he graduated from college.  We never had an opportunity to cook together, but often compared the recipes we had both tried, and I remembered the lovely young man who sent me a gift one Christmas so any years ago.

Now, it was time for a salad.  The larder was sparse, but some lettuce leaves were still in relatively good condition.  No dressing, but then I remembered Ella Pickel, my amazing friend and culinary expert from the Northeast Kingdom.  Somewhere, just somewhere, lurking in my many recipe files, I discovered her homemade dressing.  Simple, and oh, so good!

Next dessert.  Oh, that was so easy.  Many, many years ago my husband and I visited friends in Quebec.  Our hostess served "Elbert's Butter Cookies," saying with pride, "They are the best ever.  My Mother's recipe."  And how right she was.  I have made them ever since.  A simple combination of butter, flour, sugar and orange.  And miraculously, all the ingredients were available.

And last, but hardly least, wine to accompany the pasta.  And again the warmth of love and memory embraced my dinner.  Soave, a favorite of both my husband and I for more dinners than I could possibly count, was still in the liquor cabinet.  Not a large bottle, just a small one I had purchased for guests last fall.  More than enough.

My dinner for one was indeed a success.  Not because of my culinary abilities, but more because I had visitors and did not dine alone.  The memory of other meals and wonderful loved ones who no longer walk my path washed any remnants of boredom away.

So while Nemo is melting away; it will also linger in my memory for an unforgettable meal.