Sauté the chopped shallots with butter for 2 minutes in the Staub Mussel Pot, Add the diced Prosciutto and cook for 2 more minutes on medium heat. Pour the white wine in the pot and bring to a boil. Add all the mussels and cover. Cook until all the mussels are open. Season if needed, then finish with chopped parsley and eat very hot.

I didn't go sailing because I had to work. I didn't start the week off being behind, but each of my clients added to the job and I had a crime scene on Thursday that broke the schedule entirely. So  . . . no sailing and I d-r-u-g myself into the truck and f-o-r-c-e-d myself in the right direction of the jobsite. As luck would have it, I finished a very nice door and was admiring my work when the client said "to hell" with working on Saturday and called it quits.

It was just about 2:00 p.m. and nothing sounded good. I called Karit, Isabel and Gene and invited everyone over for clams and wine. I didn't think I'd have so many takers . . . but everyone said it was "the" idea of the weekend. Gene brought kouskous and grape leaves, Isabel brought "HOT SERANO SALSA!!!" which means she really loves me. It's THE best salsa . . .

(Note to "HER" . . . except for the mango salsa you used to make)

Karit brought a "chili" sauce for the clams (in case you do not remember Karit is a Chef) that I can't spell . . .

I bought 15lbs of mussels and went by "Sur la Table" on Wilshire in Santa Monica and bought a new Staub "mussel pot" that cooks 6lbs at a time. I've been "reacquiring" my things that are still with  . . . . I had bought "Her" La Crusete with the All Clad I had. So . . . THIS time, I bought "Staub"  . . . See? I am getting better!

Everyone came between 5:00 and 6:00 . . . mussels were ready to cook so they'd be fresh and we could have them right out of the pot, the wine had been opened to "breathe" and my new Fiestaware was about to be used for the first time I've entertained since I replaced it. I put on Dustin O'Hallaran and then YoYo Ma for a little music.

It was a very good night . . . . we needed one more to make the night "perfect"  . . . but the two women didn't have wine and we talked about baaaabies and the mood swings of pregnancy  . . . for the women and the "poor husbands" . . .  I listened. I also found out about all the things that "swell" during pregnancy, the things they had already for the baby and the stories about "the first".

I have been learning all about Sikh customs for childbirth and I was tested and proudly answered the questions. Isabel is only "recently" pregnant and admitted that not being able to at least "sip" wine with the mussels was tormenting. Karit's wife, Minell, let me feel the baby move and I looked up to see everyone looking at me.

"How old would the baby be G?

"7 or 8 months probably. Just about ready to walk, I guess. Wedding February 10th, timed . . . she wanted to be in labor 9 months from the day . . . Lilly . . . I liked the name, Lilly"

"I LOVE babies. We both do . . . " Gene said and Lance agreed. They told us of several people who had babies or were talking about it. They had talked about it. It was very touching just listening to what people had to say about the expecting arrival or the things that went through their mind, thinking about having a child. The subject "briefly" turned to the "kind of world"  . . . and Isabel changed it saying that there was plenty of love for her new one and that was that. WE all agreed, that was that.

I cooked more mussels and Minell came into the kitchen to help. She nudged me and asked if I wanted to feel the baby move again. I did . . . and she giggled. Luis, Karit, Gene, Lance and I switched to Tequila shots and beer chasers for about an hour . . . and then I fixed the third batch of mussels and and took out two large packages of fresh shrimp . . . and got the "Cajun" boil out and Lance helped me cook and he and I had a another shot . . . we toasted . . . but neither of us could think of a "toast" . . . so we just had a shot . . .

Seven people (eight would have been perfect) . . .  15 lbs of mussels, 6-8lbs of shrimp peel, 4 bottles of wine and a "handfull" of shots  . . . . by the time we got to the shrimp "Los Lobos" was on for music after EVERYONE "declined" to hear me sing "Sea shanties" that I have been trying to look up . . .

We took a couple of pictures to document the evening. It broke up about 11:00 -ish and we were all reasonably sober, a little toasty maybe, but the ladies had full tummies . . . Minell was the designated driver, Isabel and Luis were just across the street  . . . Lance and Gene would crash with me and "we'd have breakfast" . . . no "Mimosas" (sp?) . . . just juice . . .

G.

P.S. To my best friends . . . and my new ones at Mindsay . . .