Good morning, October companions. I begin with a request from Lyn, a 20-something who doesn’t like to cook but loves gathering with her friends. The topic: charcuterie boards.
She began, “I fell in love with charcuterie boards when my friend Allie made one for a football tailgate, and my favorite part was pepper jelly – not sure whether it was served with a goat cheese log, or a plain rectangle of cream cheese. I like these boards because they are easy, and can be healthy – though I think it’s okay if they are a little bit unhealthy, too.
“The way the board is arranged to look doesn’t matter as much as what’s on it. I like all kinds of cheese but don’t know much about cheese. Same with crackers. And what else: vegetables? Olives? Not just hummus but other spreads? I would love some ideas that are a little unusual, too. Maybe I could ask every guest to bring one item for the board. So, give me some direction please.”
And there is this question. What does a cook and host or hostess do, in times of sadness, when you don’t want to celebrate with food, but you simply need to be together … on the days when nourishment is needed for everybody, some way?
A newspaper story quoted Odette Williams on this topic: “I recently lost someone who was unimaginably close to me. Food and music have helped. I love a party, but lately the trick has been to spend time with loved ones and to feed them well with easy recipes.”