
Who here would panic if a few friends called and thought it would be good to stop by around dinnertime? I felt a rush of joy. Anyone will tell you that I love to entertain. This past summer Mario and I had 18 adults and 5 kids and cooked single handedly for each and ever one. Well, Mario did help with the grill until the flames were about 3 feet tall and had to call me from the kitchen. Even when we lived in a studio apartment in the city, we would have friends over often. Once I did birthday party for 20 people in the apartment in the middle of August. Folks, there is something to learn every time you entertain and that night I learned never to cook in a studio in the city in the middle of august. NEVER! But I do love to cook and prepare for a gathering of friends and family. This weekend with my parents coming in and a few relatives, there will be many dinner parties. Martha eat you heart out. Does she really like to entertain? I think so!
I rushed to Stew Leonard’s and selected some thick pork chops. I love it when a store will cut meat or fish to your own liking. Being spoiled by working at Eli's, I could not think of having it any other way. I would advise everyone to go out there and find yourself a butcher and use him regularly. Every town has a butcher shop; if you can drive thru then you can drive there.
I quickly made a brine and soaked the chops for a few hours. It may not be spring but there is freshness in the air. So I purchased asparagus, baby mesclun & fresh bread. I had some stale Portuguese bread at home so I made the infamous tomato pudding. In my book and a few others I know, tomatoes are king. I will use them fresh or canned. I do prefer the organic canned tomatoes. They seem to have a little ripe sweetness to them. With some bacon and a few mushrooms I found in the refrigerator I will sauté them together as a pseudo sauce for the pork chops.

It is set, pork chops, Smokey mushrooms, asparagus, tomato pudding and salad, and four
out of the five will be on the grill. If you go to all the trouble of getting the grill hot then utilize it. I quick game or a good old fashioned conversation starts the night off just right. Folks, with the smell of hyacinth in the air (never use them or any other fragrant flower around the dinner table, it takes away from the food) and my first hardy perennial planting in the garden I feel that Spring is on its way! Hooray!

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