A good friend is having an engagement party next weekend. She honored me by asking if I would design her invitation.
Bicycle built for two? Why, YES!
The email below came from her last week:
I will buy some (Gluten Free Houston) millet bread to make breadcrumbs for the meatballs and you can have the rest of the loaf.
You will be able to eat the following:
--Meatballs (made with my homemade sauce, no gluten)
--Cucumber bean salad I made when Laura & Caroline were here
--Prosciutto—cheese—apple pieces
--Chicken salad in tomatoes as long as Kraft Mayo is GF…do you know? The other ingredient is greek yogurt then fresh veggies.
--your eggplant nastiness (She doesn't like any eggplant, much less my caponata. I don't take it personally!)
So I think the only things you will NOT be able to eat are the desserts and spinach dip. I will make sure to prepare everything before I make the dip and make a plate for you and put it in the fridge.
Yay!
Remember when Martha Stewart declared about guests with special dietary needs, 'Oh my God! Don’t ask! My rule is do not ask about dietary restrictions.'
It's easy to understand where she was coming from; it's presumptuous for a guest to expect to be catered to at someone's house or event. Before living with celiac, I would never expect preferential treatment--and I'm not about to start now.
I adore my friends who honestly tell me, "I will never try to cook for you because I'm worried about cross contamination in my kitchen."
But this?
This email shows that someone who has not built an empire on being a hostess can offer the kindest gesture to make a guest feel welcome and included at her celebration.
Your girlfriend is the best goddamn wingman I have ever seen.
ReplyDeleteExcept, maybe for mine--a chef who made me the best meal ever post DX because she took the time to read about celiac and prepared a meal for me that was so outrageously good ---and safe.
I have always said Martha Stewart is a hack ( and a bitch) because any self-proclaimed hostess should always provide anything her guests may need.
I have no affection for MS, but your friend "gets it"
honey---and she is a sweetie--go, hug her and enjoy.
She is the best kind of smush; hard and crusty on the outside to hide her very soft interior, like a cream puff or a coconut!
ReplyDeleteWith all the negative hoo-hah the past two weeks around Jennifer Esposito and reading about other Celiacs who are discounted or not supported by family and friends, her message made me feel overly blessed.
I think of your husband, your chef friend, Mrs. Dude, my cheering squad and I think they should be special guests at our Celiac retreat!
Oh! And I totally agree about Martha. I do not expect to be catered to as a guest but as hostess, I try to do everything possible to make my guests feel pampered and FED!
ReplyDeleteOnce again, we are on the same page! ;)
ReplyDelete