I’ve been thinking a lot about how my cooking has changed over the last 10 years since moving from the South to the Pacific Northwest. I was thinking mostly of my recipes and how I don’t fry as much, almost never actually. I’ve been exposed to so many more food types over the years that my own food now has more Asian, Thai, Mexican, and Mediterranean influences. It’s also been influenced by numerous friends, who also happen to be foodies. Funny, how one foodie attracts another.
But, it happened today, when I realized what the real transition of the cooking experience was for me. It is not about the style or type of cuisine; it’s how the food is prepared. I’m not referring to some sort of knife skills technique or a braising method. I’m talking about a more communal approach, where multiple people do the cooking. This is not the standard way I entertained in the past, nor how I learned to host in the South. In the past, I would invite friends for a cocktail party or dinner party, then slave for hours by myself on tedious appetizers and elaborate entrees.
But that began to change ten years ago when I moved to the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle from Atlanta. Our infamous dinner parties were a way of introducing the newbie in the house (me) to all of my housemate’s friends. The majority of us were certainly foodies. Our dinner parties were about trying new foods, making new friends, and having a nice break in the work week. Tuesdays were “dinner party” night. It was a bi-monthly thing and to this day, our dinner parties, which ran the course of three to four years, were like a religion for some of us. We always had a theme. Some of the popular ones were Indian, Thai, Mexican, Fondue, and Breakfast. The Comfort Foods theme was quite interesting!
If it was your birthday, you got to choose the theme. There were introductions made and marriages that came out of our dinner parties. And, of course, children followed marriage, or not necessarily in that order. I thought our dinner parties were a thing of the past, but realized recently they are changing to a new concept – The “Come As You Are” breakfast party. This way, the kiddies can be involved and bond just like the grown-ups do. Beer and wine with dinner has transformed to Mimosa’s and Bloody Mary’s for the adults, while the kids get their splurge of chocolate milk!
Another experience that is becoming a new routine is with some friends just outside Seattle, on Vashon Island. I have found another group of foodies that enjoys cooking together, while eating local and gluten free. We gather for full weekends of cooking. We choose a theme based on what is fresh, local, and abundant - then go into “factory production” of cooking. We each go home with a load of items for the freezer to enjoy for months afterwards. 
The first one of these cooking events was the “Tamale Fest” at Judith & Ramon’s home, where we spent two full days roasting a turkey and a pork butt, while making a red sauce and a green sauce for each type of tamale. The second day consisted of making the masa dough and soaking the husks for the final stage of the tamale. Also, in the background, a large pot of plum jam was simmering on the range. Not for the tamales of course, but plums were in season!
The weekend included harvesting fresh goodies from the garden, watching the dogs run through the pasture, petting the horses, visiting the local farmers’ market, and just plain enjoying each other’s company and laughter. We discovered our new favorite summer afternoon cocktail. We call it “Gingerita” and the recipe is below. For me the trip to Vashon is a short ferry ride from Seattle and it’s the best “stay-cation” I can think of. The next Vashon event was the Pre-Thanksgiving Bakeoff. This was a one day cook-off held the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving. This time, Bonnie hosted in her home as she had the double ovens. We needed the oven capacity for the apple and peach pie production. The apples were brought by Judith and Ramon. They almost needed a wheelbarrow to haul in all the apples from their trees, the last harvest of the season. There were just enough frozen peaches left over from an earlier harvest to make one peach and cardamom pie.
Once again the factory production began. This time it was the peeling and coring and slicing of the apples. Dough (gluten free, of course) mixing began right after that. I played the part of factory support by bringing the makings for an antipasto platter and a selection of wine. We certainly needed our nutrition and energy throughout the process! Other than the wonderful pies we all walked away with, it was the sharing of the process, the laughter, the banter, and joking that really made this experience special. 
I am always looking forward to the next dinner party, cook-off, or whatever function it may be that brings my different groups of friends together where the focus is on food, friends, and fun. I have learned many new recipes, food types, and cooking methods. I have also shared my own skills, knowledge, and family recipes with my friends. There is now a bank of memories associated with those dinner parties in Wallingford and new ones being deposited from the Vashon cook-offs. These are such unique experiences for me as an avid lover of kitchens, be it designing one for a client or cooking in one with friends. The kitchen is the setting for so many memories.
“Gingerita”
6 oz Ginger Beer
1-1/2 oz clear 100% Agave Tequila
Squeeze of lime
A fine grating of fresh ginger
Shake and pour over ice
BY: Kayron Brewer
