Travels with a Gourmet

As soon as we wake up, our first view is of Laguna Beach with the sun streaming in through the large windows. Saturday morning was spent getting the rest of the stuff ready for N‘s baptism and barbecue party. We left for the church, St. Catherine of Siena, at around 3:00 and the baptism started at 3:30. J helped Rev. Eamon, the pastor, by lighting candles and assisting him by playing the altar boy. After the short ceremony, we headed home for the barbecue.

The buffet was laid with the salads I had prepared the day before – cherry tomato, corn and basil, roasted aubergines and shallots, baby potato and chives with mustard dressing and roasted peppers. My sister’s father-in-law had made a mixed paella with lobster, prawns, mussels, clams, squid, pork and chorizo. The grill was fired up for some sausages from Berkeley’s famous Top Dog – bockwurst, linguica, Calabrese and lemon chicken. There was also some skirt steak to be served with chimichurri (the traditional Argentine herb, vinegar and olive oil steak sauce). With the view of the ocean from the deck, the fantastic summer weather and the friends and family who were there, the day was complete and baby N got the party she deserved.