Prelude: resting up in Rhode Island
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My buddy R's stepson Michael fetched me in his pickup truck,
and I felt right at home in its tobacco-reeking cab. On the
way home we stopped by for some Brooklyn Lager and Mystic
Bridge IPA (the former good for when you're in a wimpy mood,
the latter good for when you want to put hair on your chest,
and a mix of the two a nice compromise). After we shared a
beer or three, I decided it was time to walk the six blocks
or so to the grocery to get stuff for dinner. Just as I was
heading out of the house, R's co-author Sue, whose annual
Thanksgiving party has become the in thing since the paper
did a feature on it last year, tootled by and offered me a
ride (six blocks or so), so naturally I had to invite her
to dinner, the major catch being that she eats only white
food. So our menu was baked haddock with crumbs on top with
mashed potatoes. I made an eggplant parmesan for R and me.

Oyster Bay Pinot Noir, a wimpy but not unpleasant wine,
was a decent accompaniment.

Next day: friends for dinner - John and Connie, Michael (as
above) and his wife Debbie.

R found some pate in the freezer left over from one of my
previous visits, so that and some cheese and crackers
served as starter. The pate was still quite good, though
it had gone a bit watery (I'm not sure how many weeks or
months had passed since its freezing).

The rest of the menu:

Cucumber salad, Asian style;

Greatest chicken recipe, see below;

Leftover eggplant parm, better the next day;

Risotto, which would have been fine except that people had
been invited for 7, but we didn't eat until 8, so the rice
had gone from creamy to gummy, which nobody but me minded.

More of that Oyster Bay Pinot and then a magnum of Rene
Junot something or another, about which I forget everything
except that it was somewhat corked, as was the Sandeman's
Ruby that came afterward.

Debbie brought apple pie, and someone provided a carton of
Edy's Grand rich and creamy vanilla bean ice cream - this
is fine just so it stays at least partially frozen. When
thawed and liquid, it shows itself to be far less than rich
and creamy. But it's okay with apple pie.

Next day was a lazy day of planning future trips, followed
by a dinner invitation from Harry and Josy - absolutely the
most vigorous 80-year-old couple I know. Harry is rare among
nonroyalty and nondefectives in that his parents were first
cousins, and his paternal grandparents were also first
cousins. So what did he do but go off and married his first
cousin, and they have had perfectly normal-looking offspring
and grand-offspring and an enviably stable 55-year marriage.

Josy is no dummy and got a rotisserie chicken from the
store, which with cheese and crackers and a pack of Trader
Joe's nuts made a fine meal. R and I had concocted an apple
upside-down cake using found ingredients and tiny tins that
fit in a toaster oven, as her regular oven isn't working.

Greatest chicken recipe
cat: mine, low-carb
servings: 8

32 fl chicken stock
3 lb chicken thighs (about 8)
2 lb chicken breasts
3 lb onions, sliced thin
16 fl heavy cream
6 fl dry white wine
1/2 lb cream cheese
thyme
lots of pepper
salt to correct

Bone the breasts and boil the bones in the stock
for a while. Reduce stock to 1 1/2 c.

Remove skin from all chicken. Render out the fat. Eat
the cracklings.

Brown the chicken pieces in the rendered fat, cooking
the breasts the least, the thighs somewhat more. Remove
to a warm place. Dump the onions in the same fat and cook
over low heat, salting ad lib, until onions are
essentially a uniform mush. Add the stock, heavy cream,
and wine. Season. Bring to the boil; then lower heat to
a simmer and let cook until thickish. Add chicken, cover,
and cook 15 min or to taste. Thicken with cream cheese.
Serve over the starch of your choice, if you're into starch.

vaguely after Julia Child: or at least made to taste
like something out of Mastering the Art of French Cooking.