Entertain the Possibilities - Home cooking becomes a special occasion; Get recipes, photos, tips and playlists
  • Blog
  • About

Easter Treats

4/6/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
At Easter time last year Ilise and I were in South Florida visiting my father at his retirement community, to which he had downsized and relocated about six months previously. The campus includes several acres of beautifully landscaped grounds and common space, including resident-designed rose gardens, two duck ponds with water features, and the lush tropical vegetation that abounds everywhere. Spring is the perfect time to appreciate all this natural beauty before summer’s sweltering heat and oppressive humidity take over, driving us back indoors to the air conditioning. We really enjoyed taking morning and evening walks around the property, camera in hand. 
The plan was to invite a few of Dad’s friends over for Easter dinner, which Ilise and I would prepare in his teeny-tiny condo kitchen at John Knox Village. It truly is a one-at-a-time workspace.
Un petit kitchen, View #1
Ilise cooking, with an assist from Pinky and the Brain
Teeny kitchen, View #2. There are no more views because the kitchen, she is teeny.
We prepared a modest little buffet with glazed baked ham, and Ina Garten's potatoes au gratin (looking extremely overdone in the pix below, but still quite tasty if you like the crusty bits), roasted squash and a few other items. Deviled eggs made an appearance. As home cooks who take a certain pride in our kitchen skills, this was not one of our better efforts although still a step up from the retirement community cafeteria. Our guests appreciated the effort though. And as it turns out, this party wasn’t really about the food at all. 

My dad, Elden, had received a not-great medical diagnosis shortly before our Easter visit. It was serious but not alarming, at least not then. He still felt pretty good and was happy to socialize with his old pals. In the months following our dinner party Dad’s condition took a wrong turn, the decline began and progressed pretty quickly. By the end of October he was gone.

So even though I burned the potatoes, it was a meal to remember. I’m so glad we had that day together when things were nearly normal, laughter came easily, and we toasted to everyone’s good health -- Elden, Nyla and Joan, Michael and Paul, Barry and Jerome, Ilise and me. And I’m extra-special glad that Ilise insisted we bring the "silly" back into Easter with bunny ears for everyone and a basketful of jelly beans and chocolate treats!

Ilise as Cookie Monster AND Easter Bunny
Elden in the Big Red Chair with Ann, Jerome and Barry in back
from left: Michael, Barry & Jerome, deep in conversation
Ann and Ilise are all ears
Joan doesn't seem so sure about all this nonsense
Barry and Jerome are snuggle bunnies
Nyla and Dad get theirs ears on
Nyla and Elden, ready for their close-up
Ta-dah!
Paul and Michael on the couch. Paul didn't want to mess up his hair with the ears, so Jerome is holding them in place.
Goodies in the Easter basket
Elden J. Johnson 1933 - 2014
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    When home cooking becomes a special occasion - Recipes, playlists, table tips and more
    Picture

    ​
    Entertaining Vintage

    Vintage treasures for the kitchen, home, collectibles, and gifts

    Categories

    All
    Afternoon Dance Break
    Birthday Greetings
    Cookbook Road Test
    Cool Tunes
    Drinks
    Entertaining Vintage
    Fish
    Kitchen Reno
    Kitchen Tips
    National Days
    Party Planning
    Pop Culture
    Recipe
    Savory Bites
    Supper Club
    Sweet Bites
    The Arts
    Travel
    TV
    Video

    Archives

    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    RSS Feed

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
Proudly powered by Weebly