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Nancy Harmon Jenkins's avatar

Everything you say is right and true and happens to me all the time but more frequently as i gain in years and experience. The best advice, and so worthy of the price of admission, applies to all of us all the time: SLOW DOWN!!! Life is not a race, it’s a wandering, wondering saunter through time, place, and experience. Savor every minute!

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Amy Axler's avatar

Reminding the kind cook that guests are excited happy and grateful to be at your table is a good way to release some of the pressure. One of my nieces referencing a past dinner now says “at least it’s not a crime scene.”

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Tamar Adler's avatar

I think "At least it's not a crime scene" is going to be what I say about all dinners...as long as they're not crime scenes, from here on out...

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Amy Axler's avatar

Delighted to help!

It began, alas, as a reference to a previous dinner. my niece arriving a just couple of minutes after the finishing touch to the salad went into the bathroom to wash her hands and gasped “ it looks like a crime scene “

my new mandoline (new bc the previous one had been thrown out by husband or son after the last accident I know you have a variation on THAT story) had sliced off a tip of finger far thicker than the radish. Really a lot of blood. The moral to this story is not don’t use a mandoline every one already knows that. The moral is ALWAYS keep a pack of Cesare Casella’s prosciutto in your refrigerator keeps forever and can be pressed into service- should dinner be delayed while your son’s friend a 4th year plastic surgery resident looks for the crazy glue.

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Jessica Grosman's avatar

Sometimes the worst kitchen mistakes can become the biggest kitchen triumphs! And never admit your mistakes - I learned that from Julia Child.

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Tamar Adler's avatar

Oh, exactly. A whole part of my frozen mousse triumph just never materialized. And I just didn't mention it--until now!

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