When one door closes...another opens..

The staff carried the food-laden coolers into the entrance hall. The girls, my staff, crisply attired in black and white, were alert and aflutter with nervous anticipation. We had heard that several local dignitaries would be attending this event, a fund raiser for charity. Excitement was in the air!

The young man who opened the door seemed perplexed, but happy to see us. "C'mon in, girls!" was his friendly response. We introduced ourselves. He hesitated. "You're the (pause) Happy C-Cookers? heh, heh" , he stammered with a smirk. While rubbing his hands together, he alternately shook his head from side to side and nodded up and down. A gulp. Then, "Sooo girls, let me get this straight. You prepared all this food and now you're here to serve it? Incredible!"

"Not at all, we do this all the time" was our smug reply. Many people are in awe of what caterers produce. Where does Ms. X want us to set up the buffet?"

Suddenly his face reddened, his chauvinistic fantasy plummeted into fundamental reality. We were in the WRONG condominium! He reluctantly informed us that the people we wanted resided next door.

Exit the Happy Cookers.

His shattered hopes brought us next door to an even bigger surprise. Liv Ullman, the European actress, opened the door. The lovely German ( I had thought) woman with whom I planned the event on the phone, was none other than Norwegian, Oscar winning, Liv Ullman using her married name! This time we reddened and gulped and smirked in disbelief. Our adventure had just begun.

Fortunately the humor in our previous encounter dissipated any anxiety we may have felt and thereafter the evening was a sweet success for all.

THE MENU
*Summer Squash and Lemon Thyme Soup
Chicken Fillets and Eggplant with Garlic, Lemon and Basil
Filet of Sole in Wild Mushroom and Herb SAuce
Saffron Wild Rice Pilaf
*Baked Tomatoes with Parsley and Pine Nuts
Peach Crisp with Amaretto Mousse

Selected Recipes to follow