The Planning

For anyone that knows me, it should come as no surprise that I would jump at the opportunity to start the planning and run the show. I brag, after all, that I have the ability to take a seemingly unfathomable task and break it up into small, manageable parts. That, and people tell me I am a good cook. I insist it’s merely because I am capable of following directions, and skilled in picking out great recipes, though. Well, that and my studious nature of all things food (I am an Art Institute Drop-Out, after all).

The weekend was selected, and it was time to throw down the gauntlet. I mean, pick the magazine. Since we were getting together in February, and I feared cooking magazines during that month would cater towards the post-New Year’s Weight Loss Plan and Cooking-For-Your-Valentine, I figured it would be best to select a magazine in December. Why December, you ask? Well, quite simply – December is the time for celebration, for festivity, for the ornate, and for indulgence. Sure enough, the rack of magazines did not let me down. In fact, it was rather hard to narrow it down to just one. Eventually, I was able to succeed, in part due to the gorgeous picture of a Salty Caramel Croquembouche on the cover. Fine Cooking, Dec 10 / Jan 11, you won me over with your promise of Beef Wellington, Homemade Tortellini, cookies that look like they came from a bakery, and a fruitcake that may turn me into a believer. 

After magazine selection, fast-forward a couple of months. Now, it is the time for studying the magazine, cover to cover, in preparation. I think of this like training for a marathon. I put in a little effort every day, studying recipes, studying preparations, mentally plotting out my game plan, so that on the big day (or weekend), we prevail. A shopping list was formulated for every recipe in the magazine, and food purveyors were located. Orders were placed locally in Montauk (for delivery) and at a butcher in Philadelphia. Schedules were drafted. The weekend will start on Saturday morning and end on Monday at lunchtime. We did select President’s Day Weekend, after all.