Sunday Dinner: Is there anything to eat?

The large 8-and-a-half-quart pot sat straddled across 2 burners.  The smells of caramelizing onions and peppers was enhanced by the 8 minced cloves of garlic I had just added to it.  The broth was simmering on another burner – clam broth enriched with shrimp shells and saffron. I was getting ready to add the Arborio rice to the paella when my husband came into the kitchen with the most ridiculous question, asked in all sincerity: “Did you make anything JC can eat?”

I stared at him for a bit and then gave him a piece of my mind.  My 3 kids and my daughter-in-law were due to come for dinner in 45 minutes. I had been cooking all afternoon (happily so) and he chose this time to ask me that question.  The whole meal was prepared with all of our many food issues and preferences in mind!  I had made a pescatarian paella with not a drop of chicken broth in it. There was not a speck of gluten to be found in the paella or side dishes. I made a separate dish of chorizo and chicken for my meat-loving son (who is married to the pescatarian) and the dessert was all chocolate for those who only eat chocolate desserts.

When I was done with my rant, he slunk out of the kitchen.

Dinner was lovely.  We caught up and played a new game, Saboteur, to lots of laughter.  Every once in a while one of the kids would make a trip to the kitchen for another drink.  While there they scooped up leftover paella out of the pot.  Nick dipped his spoon of paella directly into the dish of aioli repeatedly, horrifying us all.  And yes, everyone had something they could eat.