What kind of wine do you serve with political discourse? Red or white with a healthy portion of “The Donald?” Perhaps a nice Rosé with Hillary? And if Bernie is still on the menu? I’d suggest something crisp and dry with a lot of bite.
Of course, heated debate is hardly limited to the brownstoned streets of Brooklyn, NY. A stroll through Les Jardins du Luxembourg reveals Paris’ state of “high alert,” and I can’t imagine the Brexit goes down easily at a London soirée.
We have been rooted in dark days and endless news loops for what seems like a very long winter. But new jobs, kids’ accomplishments, and births and graduations are blooming like the first crop of spring onions.
Wasn’t it Dickens who said, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times?”
What’s a person to do? My humble suggestion – throw an al fresco dinner party. If you are one of the lucky few with a habitable terrace, throw open the shutters and invite four friends per square foot. Lively is the stuff of success.
But if outdoor real estate is not in your social portfolio, les Bois, Bois de Vincennes and Parc de la Villette all offer varied settings to calm wagging tongues and tempt conversational palates. Why not air out our differences with good company, good wine and the simple pleasures of a picnic basket? A sunny forecast, a group text, or a Facebook entreaty on a Saturday morning could yield the impromptu joys of a much-needed social harvest.
Perhaps we all just need to swing open the doors and let the musty air out of this year’s litany of bad news, like dust mites broom-beaten in a crisp June breeze.
We recently gathered in my neighborhood for a late Sunday afternoon barbeque. Unplanned, à la carte, and as unpredictable as a late day shower, a grill was fired up and everyone brought something. Kids joined adults and their opinions left us wide-eyed and smiling. Our investment was a few hours and an open mind. The return was a sense of camaraderie, a delicious meal, and a renewed appetite for the simpler things in life. The lazy days of summer can’t be far behind, can they?
Ken’s Macaroni Salad
I don’t think I make an easier dish that is requested more often. Whip it up for your next barbeque! FULL RECIPE HERE
