The Mediterranean Diet

An impromptu dinner party tomorrow night coming in the middle of a hugely busy week.  And also in mid-diet week which has been sabotaged by an unexpected trip out of town and the size of the Cuban sandwich at the Met Bar in Legacy place.  Think gargantuan.

So what am I serving tomorrow night?  I pulled out a recipe we recently tried and loved:  shrimp scampi. It was so tasty I asked myself why don't we have this once a month?   I'm serving it with a crusty Italian loaf from Whole Foods instead of pasta.  The guests  can eat the bread or not.    I made a ratatouille to accompany the shrimp, a dish that benefits from sitting in the fridge overnight.  It contains a  goodly number  of colorful veggies and only a little olive oil.   For an appetizer, we're having a mezze platter with Greek specialties including cucumbers in yogurt, olives, feta, vegetarian grape leaves, caper berries, etc.  Good stuff.  Dessert is an orange tart with a base of mascarpone , and the  whole affair is sprinkled with pistachios.  And wine, of course, always wine.  

No writing lately, due to life interfering.  Back to Maxine and her many troubles in a few days.   Have some plants to set out in the garden.  Whither winter and those long (or short) days?  Ye gods.

Grapeshot