Birthdays & birthday dinners

Yesterday was my birthday, although now that I am over 50, I do not have them anymore ...

I actually had a pretty good weekend of celebrations, though. Friday, Mark took me to dinner at L'Etoile, the best restaurant in Madison. I had an appetizer that was heirloom tomatoes, cheese, and oil, that was seriously delicious with their bread. The dessert - peach cobbler - was also impressive. It was just the right temperature, and had just the right percentage of fruit to crust, and ice cream. I drank a champagne cocktail to start the evening, and then should only had had ONE of the two large glasses of red wine that they poured for me.

On Saturday, my actual birthday, we waited and went to the farmers' market late, at 10:00, because John said he'd go with us, and then of course he was nowhere to be found at 10:00. Still it made a good start to the day - we slept in, I went for a walk; Mark ran. And even though it was annoyingly crowded at the market, John showed up to go around the last side with us, and he took home the hot spicey cheese bread while we ran a few more errands.

There were various kids in and out all afternnon - Al came home to do laundry with another camp friend who had not beenhere before, and I made fruit tart and a zucchini tian to take to my friend Chris Quandt's big farm party - he and another guy own a big hunk of land only about 25 minutes from downtown Madison, and they have a huge party out there every summer. Probably 200 - 300 people. I collected a lot of birthday kisses and hugs. We ate, went for a walk around the property with Anya's 5-year-old daughter Abby - she's one of those kids like Al was, with this hoarse little voice - listened to the reggae band. We left as the beer was running out, right after someone I was dancing with accidentally poured one of the last beers down my dress.

On Sunday I cooked a birthday dinner for Ward - slow roast pork on the grill, with a spicey rub that made a great crust, potato salad, cole slaw, and cornbread with fresh corn. I made the little lime syrup coconut cakes, and there was watermelon and sweet black cherries, too, for dessert. Naomi made gin & tonics, and we sat outside to eat.

Now I am thinking about making a trifle with the leftover pastry cream from Saturday's fruit tarts, the lime cakes, and some plucots that are just sitting there on the counter.