“If I knew you were coming, I’d a baked a cake…..”
So says the old song with its jingling tune. But even though I know you are coming, I am not going to bake a cake. I am not going to make homemade potato salad or baked beans either. Although it goes against my tradition of what I love to do, I am going to buy mostly prepared food for our summer gatherings.
And it’s not because I don’t love you, my dear family and friends, because you know I do. And it’s not because I don’t love making my mother’s famous potato salad with its secret ingredient (dill pickle), because I must admit licking the bowl when the potatoes are still warm is a lot to give up. No dear family and friends, it’s because this year I’d rather save my fun for when you come.
Now to be clear, I have always enjoyed making favorite family dishes for our summer gatherings, and yes, everyone coming always brings a dish to pass. What’s not to like about a potluck?
And although the media is rife with crowd pleasing “easy recipes” (I use that word loosely), my new mantra is the less work for everyone involved the better.
It seems, perhaps, that the worries of the world or our own personal and family transitions are calling more loudly to seize these precious moments together. So, I for one am nixing hours of food prep in a kitchen; I’d rather have a good visit with you outside on the deck.
Local delis, bakeries, and farmers’ markets, you are my new best friends.
Who says I can’t have my cake and eat it too?
