Lucky Me

I arrived home after just a few hours at the market this morning; I had Linda fill in for the last hour and a half since my Dad had made two appointments with the MRI.  This was not for him as subject, no….he has supervised contrast injections there for years, and often does the injections quite competently himself when the younger set can’t find a vein.  Without Mom to drive him there, it fell to me for transport. I don’t know if I told you that both of my parents still work 5-6 days each week, my radiologist Father reading plain-film and digital x-rays and Mom doing the transcription and courier work, which I now do until she can type and drive.  Anyway, I arrived home to with a box of See’s candy in hand, a thank you from Norm & Olive.  Raquel sent me this pic of them at the party..her hat was perfect~

“Funny,” Pop said, “I don’t remember your sisters ever thanking me for a dinner with a box of See’s Candy…when are those people coming back?”

I had already received a sweet note in the mail from Olive & Norm earlier in the week.  Olive has been a stewardess for 50 years, now working the First Class San Francisco to Beijing route.  She is a real kick, and she knows hospitality, so it meant a lot to me that she was so effusive in her praise, except “we didn’t see enough of you” as yes, I was in the kitchen most of the night….

Later in the morning as I packed up, my blog follower Linda came by, with a tub of cookie dough which Mom gladly accepted as she sat in my car, chocolate chip cookies that my parents both LOVED, and a handful of her really awesome paper masterpieces.  Linda, I thought of a great project for you for the next Farm to Table…I will post more on Linda later, but here is just a sample of her work~

Earlier in the week I received a set of fancy notecards from Therese, who recently received a linen towel with T monogram with her basket order.  I absolutely loved the sweet note she sent back, and the detail of the hand-addressed mailing box holding these embossed monogram “A” cards she made for me.  Therese Swift-Hahn, Calligrapher extraordinaire….you can see her work and website  HERE and I have already thought of a handful of items that I will have her produce and show you later.  Thank you so much, Therese for these cards, I LOVE them!!

On the way to the MRI I stopped to get my mail.  A new old copper bowl was waiting for me, yeah!

I bought it from a French dealer who said it was made by Ora & Cie.  That’s what the stamp looks like, but I know it’s not that, it’s Mora & Cie, and beneath that the stamp should read “Paris 1ere.”  Mora was founded in 1814 by Charles Trottier, copper cauldron maker and tin man.   They used to be a specialist in the ustensiles de cuisine, but now I think of them primarily for patisserie products.  I still stop by each time I am in Paris (they are around the corner from my favorite, Dehillerin), but I can tell you they don’t sell hand-hammered cul de poule like this now; this one was made some time ago~

After an initial pass at cleaning, it looks like this~

It is not as thick or heavy (so surely not as old) as the cul de poule I have in Laguna from Guy; but this one is larger.  I love antique copper….each piece has a personality, note the rivet fasteners on each piece are spaced differently on the inside of the bowl.  In Beaune I have a set of four nested ones, and each time I use these, most recently for the pasta at the FTT, I hear R’s words in my head….the sight of these nested copper bowls means “there’s some serious cooking going on…” yes indeed.  I was going to sell this one to my client Bob but think I’ll keep it now.  It will come in handy in the large size.  The smaller one is 34cm and the new one is 38cm and here you can see the hammer marks on the inside.

Everyone got their favorite lunch today: Dad has had See’s Candy and a Stella Artois; Mom had sushi and virgin tonic water. I am getting ready to make fresh pasta for dinner with our filet of sole.  The pity party is over, I told Mom, we are working through our to-do’s and getting through our day….tak tak tak….

I left a voice mail for Leah this week; she was the one I reached in my panique and who came to get the dogs from my neighbor Clay while I was on my way home from San Diego after Mom fell.  Also left a message for Laura and Raquel, who both helped immensely with the party….so lucky to have so many great friends I can count on, all of whom my parents love.  My parents are very private and don’t want a bunch of people around to help, but let me tell you, I love you all!  Thanks to so many for the emails and cards~