Friday is card night. I don’t care for card games, but for the last few months have gotten into Liverpool, a rummy-type game that has become a form of religious observance on Friday nights, bringing together a strange mixture of nationalities: Greek, Israeli, Italian, Russian, Romanian, and one token English/French Canadian (my wife) for political correctness. This is the middle-aged person’s version of “swapping” or “The Lifestyle” as its known…although in our case we swap recipes and verbal abuse (a later-life form of oral sex!). We move around from house to house over the weeks, and its the host’s prerogative to cook whatever he/she wants.

Here’s tonight’s meal plan (since its my turn to “cook”):

A United Nations’ Menu:

• Mexico: Spicy organic blue corn chips with Salsa Verde, and Atonement Margaritas (I have to atone for last week’s really crappy ones!);
• Greece: Thick slabs of spanakopita as the appetizer;
• Asian: Five-spice crusted lamb tenderloin done using Son-of-Leisureguy’s oven hot pan method;
• Asian: Sake and coconut broth risotto with garlic, ginger, and cilantro;
• Canadian: Steamed broccoflower;
• Italian: Cesar salad with my homemade dressing and organic bacon from a farmer friend (if people still have room);
• French: Saint-Morgon cheese on Raincoast Crisp (the world’s best crackers IMHO) Cranberry and Hazelnut crackers;
• Caribbean: Artisanal Mango sorbet (just fruit, no sugar) with fresh blackberries and blueberries.
• Greece: Lyrakakis Kotsifali Cretan red wine
• Scotland: The Singleton 12 year-old single malt scotch.

Rather pedestrian-sounding I know, but hey, its Friday night and we’re all too tired for elaborate cooking