I have a friend who I call The Patron Saint of Birds, Bees, German Shorthair Pointers, Squid Beaks and Chips. Mel, as I call her, (long story on the nickname as well as all of the categories for which she is sainted) accompanied us to Mexico last year and I was once again awed by her efficiency, ability to make anything beautiful, humor, and all around great company. I would do most anything for her, and consider her akin to Wonder Woman.
So what did I write in Mel’s birthday card? “To the woman I want next to me when the Federales show up.”
So when she contacted me with an invitation to come to the Cape for a party the night of her birthday (which she shares with her son-in-law to be) of course I said we would come. I knew it would be tasty AND beautiful, and that she’d make herself crazy doing it. She also sent me a photo of some stuffed peppers I had prepared while we were in Mexico and asked if I could make them for the party. Sure, I said, if I can remember what I put in them…
Stuffed peppers are pretty forgiving. You can throw whatever you’ve got in there and they will probably be just fine. I knew there had to be chorizo and cheese, probably some onions and garlic, a binder and some spice. I substituted Portuguese chouriço and added jack cheese, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs some crushed red pepper and smoked paprika and hoped for the best. Poblanos are sometimes hard to come by, and when you do they can be large, so I opted for the bulk bag of these adorable 3” multi-colored sweet peppers, and lopped off one side. I scooped out the seeds but left the stems on for a prettier presentation.
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As I expected, her outdoor table and gathering areas, as well as her garden were beautiful and inviting. Her guest list was great fun, and included boaters, sailors, gardeners, marketers, business folk and family. And Mel’s family includes some of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Between them and the wine there were lots of laughs, but I’ll give full blame to the wine for the fuzzies I felt Sunday morning.
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And speaking of Sunday morning, even with the wine I registered a loss at Weight Watchers, hitting the 20-pound mark. I avoided the cheese, most carbs and only had a bite of Steve’s piece of cake at the party. And it was good cake.
So what did I write in Mel’s birthday card? “To the woman I want next to me when the Federales show up.”
Happy Birthday Mel!
What a beautiful tribute to someone who is obviously an Exceptional Woman. (Let’s just hope the Federales never show up – and that if they do, Mel is also an abogada as well as an Exceptional Woman. But between the two of you I think you could talk your way out of most any jam.) And the photos convey the conviviality and deliciousness of the celebration perfectly. Thanks for bringing the larger world in for the evening.
For the non Spanish speakers an abogada is a female lawyer, and I hope to never need one in Mexico. My phone call – the US Embassy!