Cozy Sheets
Painting by P. Rafferty
Let me tell you about several of my Christmas gifts, that I’m greatly enjoying. I spent the first night of 2019 snug as a bug betwixt the folds of my new, organic cotton sheets. Ahh . . .they are so creamy soft and soothing. I even had a whimsical dream that night. Sounds crazy, but in my dream I won a prize at a county fair for my drawing of a duck! What do you suppose that forebodes for 2019? Perhaps creative outdoor pursuits in a rural setting. I’m fine with that. At least, it’s positive, and that’s a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say.
Pair and a Spare
Pair and a Spare is sold in the New York Museum of Modern Art catalog store.
Another unique gift was a set of three colorful gloves. Yep, not the usual two, but three! The clever concept is for those, such as I, who frequently lose or misplace a glove. Warning: When you put these on, you must do so with confidence, knowing that there will be those who think you’re wearing mismatched apparel.
You might not want to shovel snow while wearing these gloves, but they do look spiffy in the checkout line when you’re scanning your credit card. So far, I still have all three.
Cookin’ Cajun
Real Cajun, cookbook by Donald Link. The much-awarded chef earned a James Beard designation in 2014 for best new restaurant. This book focuses on foods from his Louisiana childhood, while his most recent book, Down South, is about Gulf Coast cuisine today.
Because there’s always room for one more cookbook, I was especially pleased to receive Real Cajun. Author and chef Donald Link is owner of several New Orleans restaurants. One of them—Pêche—is where I celebrated my birthday last month.
After a thorough browsing of the cookbook, I’ve marked, at least, a dozen pages with sticky notes. These are recipes for down home cooking that you’d find at potlucks, reunions, wakes, and dinner tables in the region. The book abounds with such favorites as dirty rice, jambalaya, seafood gumbo, smothered pork, chocolate bread pudding, and flaky buttermilk biscuits.
This year, thank to these wonderful gifts, I’m going to sleep well . . . eat well . . . and have warm fingers!
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