Michael Odom > wrote in
:

> So did a passel of art faculty, English faculty, grad students, and
> secretaries. Then there were the area artists and at least one art
> dealer, to boot. That's not counting our frinds from Wichita, who
> pulled up as stuff was being set up. Many spouses, partners, squeezes
> and shack jobs came as well. I'm not sure, but I think one or two
> partners of convenience attended too. Those who RSVPed totaled 71.
> More than that came. (Grad student's you know.) Some drank beer.
> Some drank wine. Some drank sodas. Some drank water. Some drank a
> combination of the above. Some brought beer. Some brought wine.
> Some brought sodas. Some brought a combination of beverages.
>
> I think I have more wine now than before the party. I certainly have
> two bottles of good champagne I didn't own 36 hours ago.
>
> Zach (the caterer) was a real trooper. So was his wife, Adrian.
> The'd been cooking since 7 a.m. when they arrived at 5 p.m. to set up.
> He brought a toy pirogue and set up a Cajun food display with chiles,
> garlic, bags of bens and rice, etc. He and Adrian set out bread
> loaves and salads on a table in the kitchen. Salads were green,
> pasta, and mandarin orange.
>
> Then he set a huge pot of seafood gumbo on the stove. Big, it was.
> But the pans of jambalaya dwarfed the gumbo pot. Somewhere he'd
> squirrelled away pans of bread pudding with whiskey sauce, awaiting
> the proper moment.
>
> I'd earlier set out a plate with jamon serrano and sliced figs, along
> with a cutting board with an assortment of cheeses, including manchego
> and gruyere and Brie. Baskets of crackers, too.
>
> We had coolers on the patio with bottles of water, cans of soda, and
> bottles of Abita Turbo Dog beer.
>
> Zach told me he'd made the roux for the gumbo Thursday, but he thought
> it had gotten bitter. Didn't really burn, but maybe a touch too dark
> anyway. He knew I have South Louisiana connections, so he tossed the
> bitter roux and made another one. It was two roux gumbo, and it was
> really good. Really good. The jambalaya was nice, too. Smokey from
> the seasoning meat and chock full of chicken. But, man, that gumbo!
> About 6:45, we called the throng to the feed trough. The gumbo was
> wonderful. Rich and lovely with shrimp and chunks of crab meat.
>
> The crowd was big enough that at times the noise of the converstations
> was nearly deafening. Buncha yakkers. I played music (Blossom Deary,
> Nick Lowe, The Flatlanders, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros), but
> nobody noticed, I'm afraid.
>
> On the whole, I'd say the event was a success. And we have enough
> leftovers that we won't have to cook for several days.
>
>
> modom
>
> "Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes."
> -- Jimmie Dale Gilmore
>

Michael, this sounds like it was a very successful and enjoyable event,
and the food sounds divine! OMG, I haven't thought of Blossom Deary in
years. I'll have to pull out some old vinyl!

--
Wayne in Phoenix

unmunge as w-e-b

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.