Yesterday morning I spent a long time talking to a friend and it made me feel so much better. It inspired me to do two things: cook a good dinner and plan to social distance in our yard with another friend. It made me feel much more positive.
Dinner last night: Shrimp, dusted in cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper, and sauteed in olive oil. We put them on top of a salad of spring greens, avocado, microgreens and edible flowers from Finding Eminence Farm and Sandra's salad dressing. It was heavenly.
My friend Sandra occasionally brings over incredible containers of salad mix and other food and a little jar of her vinaigrette. It is ridiculously kind of her and a huge help. The thing that gets me is that her vinaigrette is so much better than what I make. I don't know why. Ernie loves it much more than what I make.
Maybe she'll give me the secret or maybe it's a tomato soup kind of thing. I remember my mother telling me that when my sister Debbie was in grade school she went to a friend's house for lunch and had grilled cheese and tomato soup. She raved and raved and raved about the tomato soup. Next time my mom saw the friend's mother she asked her about the soup and the woman apologetically told her it was good old Campbell's tomato soup.
So, who knows, maybe there is no secret and it just tastes better when someone else makes it. Regardless, it made for a delightful dinner. Thanks to all that made it a brighter day.
Onward.