Ann Davis-Rowe

It’s been a while since I have highlit a whole meal and wholey heck, is this a good one.

Hampton’s mom and stepdad drove here from Raleigh to see his opening weekend matinee. Because parking is difficult at that theatre at the best of times and Tom has some mobility issues, they drove to the house, I dropped them at the door, and then Hampton got his car to pick them up and come back for dinner.

During the show, I prepped dinner. And cleaned. But dinner is the important part.

This… is not my best food pic ever, but I was pretty stoked to eat, so let’s break it down.

• Greek-inspired pork tenderloin. Based on Flat 493 preferences, I lessened the evoo and plussed the acid with some red wine vinegar. Fun fact, I got a new propane tank the day before and maybe didn’t hook it up right because this grill did NOT want to light. Also there was a wee small part in the center of one tenderloin that was maybe a little rare. I set it to the side in case we needed more meat so we could finish it in a pan, but it all worked out and we still had plenty and none of it was dried out.

• Warm bean salad with charred veg, shaved fennel, and feta. I looked at a couple of recipes to make this up; this one is maybe the closest. I made borlotti lamons and grilled up slices of zucchini and bell pepper. The charred veg got diced and tossed with dressing, beans were added straight from the pot, and some shaved raw fennel and crumbled feta were stirred in. It all made for a delightful blend of textures and paired perfectly with the pork.

• Italian lemon ricotta cake. I Do Not bake. It is way too much measuring given how little I like sweets. But Chef Dennis had this in a recent email and I Couldn’t Stop Thinking about it. Sounded pretty easy and not too sweet…. and you know what: it was amazing. Is. Loving these leftovers.

• Blackberry shrub and mint lemonade. When we were in Vietnam — which I will write about eventually, I swear — we went to a fantastic speakeasy and Hampton was inspired to get back to his mixology days and keep in touch with the bartender. A few weeks ago, he made a shrub, a vinegar-based elixir, with blackberries and rosemary, and concocted a smoked bourbon cocktail.

I wanted to make some sort of lemonade since Hampton’s folks had to drive back to Raleigh and he reminded me we had some of this shrub left. I muddled a handful of mint and poured the tangy berry mix into the pitcher with bottled no-sugar lemonade. Glasses were finished with club soda, and what a light and lovely combo.

Like I said, I failed at pics, but Tom staged one and was proud:

Also, Hampton and I are notoriously bad at photos. As much as we are on display onstage, we are super unphotogenic IRL. In film life? But, like Tom with my dinner, Ellen nailed these?

I did call my mother between yoga class and the Clemmers’ arrival and look forward to getting back to Pennsyltucky to see my folks’ new home this summer. My brother Josh was up recently to see the work our other brother (his twin!), Ricky, did before our childhood home was sold, and I wish I could have been there then.

To all the mothers and the other caregivers: happy day. Whatever day it is when I post and whenever you actually read this. To everyone else: cook for your people.