My almost weekly dinner with my parents brings forth a long held family tradition of Sunday family dinners. These gatherings both small and large are signature events for my big, extended family. I suspect that most families around the world share this tradition.
Every week I try to recreate a family meal of the past. Those old time recipes bring comfort to all and prompt story telling about past, present, and future events.
As I ponder today's meal, I'm including the following ingredients.
Shrimp cocktail
It's a hot day, so shrimp cocktail with lemons will be cool, refreshing, and reminiscent of days at the beach. My dad will like this.
Fruit, Cheese, and Nuts Appetizers
I'll make a plate of fruit, cheese, and nuts as an appetizer. My mom who does not like shrimp, will like that.
Lemonade spritzers
My parents love lemonade on these hot days, so I'll add a lot of ice and perhaps lime wedge to their glasses.
Steak and potatoes
Since my dad's the cook these days, he doesn't cook steak often, but does enjoy a taste of steak now and then. So we'll grill steaks. My mom loves potatoes (and so do I). That may be the Irish in us. Even though I think baked potatoes are her favorite, I'll make mashed potatoes today since that's the kind of potatoes I have on hand.
Garden salad
I'll prepare a traditional garden salad.
Lemon cake, whipped cream, and berries
I'll make a lemon cake for dessert and frost it with whipped cream and berried--my mom always looks forward to the dessert.
I'll leave some time at the start for my dad to read The Boston Globe which he enjoys. Then we'll likely eat out on the deck where we typically get a bit of a cool breeze. Hopefully it will be a joyful visit and a way to keep this long held tradition alive.