On Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:47:42 -0700, susan leichtman wrote:

> On Jun 21, 7:40Â*am, Godzilla > wrote:
>> How does one celebrate the birthday of someone whose mental condition
>> has degenerated to a point that they do not even comprehend the day of
>> the week?
>>
>> One gets up early, sets the table with the best place-mats and china,
>> blows up multi-colored birthday balloons, places the crudely wrapped
>> presents on the table, along with a card addressed and signed in
>> Japanese.
>>
>> Then, one fires up the four cylinder vehicle, and makes the rounds of
>> four local establishments to gather ingredients long before the triple
>> digit temperatures descend.
>>
>> Normally, a Chiffonade of lettuce is my choice to line the dish under a
>> Crab cocktail. But, when the lettuce in the markets looks like it has
>> been sitting on a loading dock getting a suntan, one looks for
>> alternatives. Voila! The Cilantro looks fresh and beckons to be placed
>> in my basket. Unconventional, but rules are only created to be broken.
>>
>> The final stop is at the excellent Panaderia which graces our little
>> town. A half dozen different Pan Dulces are carefully picked up with
>> tongs and placed on the tray. Home again just in time to help her put
>> on her clothing, arrange the sliced peaches in the bowls, and grind the
>> last of my Caracoles del Sur beans from Columbia to accompany the
>> pastries.
>>
>> Throughout the day, one does the prep work for the evening, so that
>> everything will be "Mise en Place" for the timed assembly.
>>
>> The bottle of Chakana 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from the foothills of the
>> Andes is opened for an hour and a half of breathing. Following the
>> carefully scheduled presentation, the crab cocktails are assembled and
>> consumed with Aqua while the UDSA Prime fillets are coming to room
>> temperature and the cast iron skillet is heating in the 500 degree
>> oven.
>>
>> The surface dried and Olive oiled fillets are browned for 2 minutes on
>> each side in the pan which has left the oven and has been placed on a
>> high heat top of stove burner. Back to the oven for 4 minutes to cook
>> the interior. Then, the pan is removed, the fillets placed on a tray
>> and loosely covered with foil. The whirling dervish goes into action
>> while the fillets repose and regress their juices. Petit Pois are
>> boiled, drained and seasoned on the top of the stove and at the proper
>> moment the precooked Crinkle Pommes Frites go into the microwave for 4
>> minutes.
>>
>> At the same time, a glass of the Chakana goes into the skillet to
>> deglaze the pan. When it has thickened, some butter is swirled in.
>>
>> Now, the black plates are removed from the warmer, and everything is
>> plated with pre-sliced Piquillo Peppers arranged around the perimeter.
>>
>> The Chakana has developed magnificently since the last tasting. with
>> Black Currant, Pepper and Mint complementing the almost syrupy body.
>>
>> After helping her to brush her teeth and showing her which sides of the
>> nightgown is top and bottom, the chef reverts to status of dishwasher.
>> When this is completed, the chef removes apron and sits once more at
>> table to sip the remainder of the wine with a slice of Stilton.
>>
>> Was she aware of anything? Probably not, but it costs nothing to wish.
>> Maybe everything was a fantasy, and like Brigadoon will appear again in
>> a hundred years.
>>
>> Godzilla
>
> Nice story Godzilla and obviously a good son.

Thank you, but it is my spouse. ;-(

Godzilla