From Stephen

so ms. henry.... i am sooo curioius. what would be on the menu if you were asked to create YOUR favorites. and any stories that go with them...

appetizer
soup
salad
entree
sides
dessert

That was a post from my dear friend Stephen. Stephen is a very special friend who brings out the extremes in me - a dangerous place. He loves to be bad. He loves to torment and tease. He is that little brother that drove you nuts who is still acting that way 40 years later. Oh jeez! He reads every post and has a comment or a rant. That leads to an explanation to him of the point I was trying to make which I give in the most descriptive prose I can. This invariably leads to his accusing me of snobbiness and madness and then the gloves come off. I respond to him in a cynical manner and then he dismisses me by saying he will not particpate in my madness or offers to use professional skills as a psychologist to help me with my "issues". Then I read his blog - his soul's journey which is his most vulnerable, and then his Facebook page which is his patchwork quilt of what he's doing, tormenting his friends, musical selections that are gifts from his heart and a recap of his days. He has 11 different personae that he uses to quickly switch and present a new path of thoughts. This is his means of being anything he ever wanted to be no matter how bad or good! He is also a person I trust to tell me the truth - when he is being Stephen- Stephen and not one of his other hyphenated characters. I am so glad he wasn't my little brother. He would have worn me out. At my mature age I can laugh, rant and enjoy him as a true friend. Thank you Stephen for being my friend and being who you are with me.

So I will try to answer Stephen's post.

Appetizer - Mediterranean antipasto platter, guacamole
Soup - Italian Sausage Soup
Salad - something with nuts, fruit, cheese over greens with a homemade dressing
Entree - Pork, Barbecue, My Dad or Tom's Grilled food, Ethnic, Vegetarian, Pasta, Beef, Chicken
Sides - Cottage Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, Eggplant, Any vegetable - prefered cooking method roasted
Sandwich - I added this Reuben (Huge story here!) Burger Grilled, flat, on a homemade bun with pickle, onion , mustard
Dessert - I am not a big chocolate lover except for Theo's Chocolate confections, frosted sugar cookies, molasses cookies, golfballs, fruit tart, if I had to eat a cake it would be a white cake with vanilla frosting

These are not the only things I like but they are the things I can think of at this moment.I would name as a favorite anything cooked for me by a family member or a friend just because they cared enough to want to make something to share with me. I eat seasonally as a rule much to the chagrin of Lee and others who shall remain nameless. It's part of the experience. A crazy thought: I would like to have a meal cooked by me for me but I would like to taste it not as my own cooking but as someone I cooked for. I know that makes no sense at all but I am convinced a cook cannot taste her own cooking the way a guest might.

Stay tuned. Stories and recipes to follow.