Fresh

The problem with blazing through life with eyes strictly forward, is that often I forget to reconnect to people with whom I’ve shared good days. Life takes work, and sometimes there doesn’t seem to be enough time or energy to reboil old friendships. And then there’s the fear that the connection leads only to a past-life that doesn’t really jibe with the person in my new apron.

And yet.

This weekend we had a dinner party with some friends, one of whom was an old chum from high school that I had run into at Target. She was the one person I knew back then who was as cynical about our suburban surroundings as I was. Odd that we should both find ourselves in the same area again.

We started out the night with a fresh sake-cucumber cocktail, seemingly innocent and light, a quencher with a kick for a hot day. We snacked on tuna tataki while we chatted, the room splitting itself into male and female groups. Dinner was pan-seared halibut, bamboo rice, and market vegetables. I’d picked up purple beans at the market, thinking they would add a fun splash of color to the plate. They turned green when we cooked them. Huh.

Peeking out from under the halibut on each plate, was one sauteed squash blossom. The halibut was lovely anyway, but when a bite carried a soft, slightly sweet piece of the blossom, it was a new dish entirely. That there was only one blossom on your plate made it that much richer, grasping the flavor of each tiny bite more important.

As always, there was much wine and more laughter. The evening ended with a smart port and espresso crepes with ice cream (brought by the new guests.) My favorite thing about the evening was that there was no need to play out the shared memories of the past. The conversations flowed like the wine and the people we are became more important than the people we were.

Sake Cucumber Punch
1 large seedless cucumber
1/4 c sugar
2 c water
2 T freshly peeled and grated ginger
2 lemons
2 bottles (750 ml) of dry sake

Cut cucumber in half, crosswise. Peel and chop one half, puree in blender. Slice other half into thin rounds, set aside. Add sugar, water, ginger to blender. Squeeze the juice from both lemons into blender, puree until smooth. Pour mix through sieve into pitcher, add one and a half bottles of sake. Stir and add sliced cucumbers. Cover and chill for at least an hour.