Originally the plan was that I would cook John a birthday dinner in Chicago. I had even sent a set of menus for them to select from. But then it turned out that he was coming to Madison on his birthday instead. And then it further transpired that his friend Jake, who has the same birthday, had organized a whole series of events. Starting with mini-golf (John & Megan didn’t do that part), then watching the Badger basketball game (that they won in a kind of a big upset), arcade games, dinner, and then a couple of bars.
So I invited everybody over for snacks, and made a kind of combination of menus 2 & 3 – overnight roasted pork with home made rolls & slaw (with a sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, & ginger dressing that tastes good, but makes the cabbage look a little brownish), brownies because they were always John’s special birthday treat, and lots of appetizer-y things. Hummus, pickled eggs and beets, pickles, and I bought a bunch of olives and several fancy cheeses.
Which was all fine except once the kids took off for 30th birthday designed by Jake, we didn’t see them until Sunday morning. Mark, Rach, and I feasted on the menu 2 & 3 combo. With the addition of a quick vegetable soup and coconut milk tapioca, which were additional comfort foods for Rach, since she had suffered a near death experience on her way to the airport on Saturday morning. A drunk flipped his car right in front of them, ending up sideways across the road. Thankfully skillful driving by her husband got them around the drunk guy’s car.
John and Megan and me and Mark all had brunch together Sunday, fruit, and leek and bacon quiche, and blueberry muffins – another John’s favorite recipe. My new Liberty of London muffin papers make smaller muffins; 2 dozen instead of only one from the same amount of batter. I ate two to make up. We had to delay about 20 minutes to eat, so Mark could go pick up Belana at the bus, back from her trip to Hawaii. It made John a little grumpy, but he got over it.
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