Busy busy...

And slowly, surely, things are falling into place.

I have a spot for my coffee grinder. Lazy susans for the RIDIC amount of spices I keep. A fridge that has a friggin' ice dispenser (oh ya, movin' on up!!). Basically, I'm warning you - a flood of kitchen porn is about to hit NFP, so avert your eyes, if you're sensitive to such utterly domestic stuffs.

Meanwhile, at a gorgeous house just off Providence, my first vegan/gluten free (well, almost) dinner party was thrown with success, nervousness, and finally, relief.

Challenging, cooking, warming, plating and serving 12 people all at once, all by my lonesome, good LORDY. And I didn't, even - one of the sweet girls attending helped me bus between 1st and 2nd course - because I was slinging polenta and ragu in the kitchen and totally forgot that salad plates, once divested of greens, want to get to the sink.

Still, people seemed happy. Even the elbow I almost landed on someone's nose while pouring water - no biggie.

3 courses and an app, here's what we noshed:

If I could only do these, every day, in perpetuity, I think I'd have found my true calling. We'll see.

The dessert wasn't quite as GF as I'd originally intended - and since this was the end of a 3 week program that involved abstaining from all alcohol, refined sugar, caffiene, animal products, and wheat, and people were in the mood to indulge, I snuck some refined sugar and flour in there. Tsk tsk. Note to self - coconut whipped cream must stay chilled until the last possible moment, or it loses it's integrity. I'd have preferred mine a bit fluffier.

Salads are salads, and this group had been eating tons of greens for weeks. Pistachios were nice, soft, slightly sweet. Contrasted with the mustard rather well.

You guys have seen me pull ye old ragu trick many times before - but not quite as healthfully as this night. Ground mushrooms and fava beans formed the base of the sauce -

- along with lots of roasted cherry tomatoes -

- broth, spices, and a cup of bourbon, and we've got some happy vegans. Collarded kale shreds on the side. Pattypans overfilled with rich cashew cheese mixed with herbs and farro. They were good, but as they usually are, a bit tough. It's not often the veggies get to grab a steak knife - but they did, that night.

Got two more planned this upcoming month. Stay tuned! Cheers!