The simplicity of good food

I just returned from my monthly book club meeting. The group is comprised of mostly older members of the progressive church I attend. The meetings are held in a home that could be described as upper middle-class. I have not seen the whole house but the kitchen is adorned with features that working class people like myself only dream about: stained concrete floors, custom wood cabinets, granite countertops, and a stove with more burners than I would know what to do with. The hostess is gracious enough to serve us dinner at each gathering. The food, although simple, always seems to match the elegance of the house. Tonight's meal was no exception.

The main course was a pasta dish made from organic ingredients bought from the local farmer's market. The orecchiette pasta was mixed with heirloom tomatoes, garlic, basil, thyme, olive oil and served at room temperature. Don't let the modest ingredients fool you. This dish was fantastic. Because the ingredients were locally and organically grown they tasted more like themselves, especially the tomatoes. Unlike the flavorless varieties you find in the supermarket, these tomatoes actually tasted like tomatoes. The fresh herbs perked up the dish in ways their dried cousins could never do. And the garlic. The first thing I noticed as I leaned over the bowl to scoop a large helping onto my plate was the aroma of garlic wafting up to my nostrils. Heaven.

My favorite dish was the salad. Arugula and baby spinach leaves mixed together with roasted corn, avocado, roasted parsnips and pine nuts. The whole thing was tossed with a homemade dressing so light and so unassuming that, if not for the almost empty container sitting next to the salad bowl, I would never have guessed it was part of the dish . The simple dressing allowed the main ingredients to take center stage. The creaminess of the avocado, the sweetness of the roasted corn and parsnips, and the nuttiness of the pignolis were a perfect combination of tastes and textures. I went back for more only to find the salad was all gone. I was going to lick the bowl to show my appreciation for such a well-prepared meal, but I decided that probably wouldn't go over too well. I thanked the hostess instead.