Sat, July 19 - Heaven !

10.15am - fresh lychees and mango, at home10.34am - fresh coconut, at home. Am getting better at chopping these guys open...

12.07h - leftover veal, veggies and pasta from San Gennaro last night, at home, w/ Ritesh

12.15h - leftover pasta from San Gennaro, at home, w/ Ritesh

16.13h - a slice of chicken pesto pizza, with pulled chicken and Asagio, from Whole Foods, at home, with Ritesh

16.22h - haven't had this one in a while, bacon chocolate, at home, with Ritesh

19.04h - champagne in Nady's famed garden, in front of her incredible tomato plants - more like a tomato forest! With Nady, David, Mingus, Ritesh, and Nady's charming and energetic uncle Tönne who's visiting from Germany. Just lovely sitting outside, surrounded by greenery, and enjoying good company and the prospect of good food...
David, Nady's husband, by the way, is none other than the illustrious, preternaturally gifted and oft-blogged about painter David Schoffman, part of an internationally notorious artistic triad along with the wickedly charismatic Currado Malaspina and the tragically deceased Cuban avant-garde icon Micah Carpentier

19.05h - Ritesh made some of his FIERY salsa w/ roasted chilies...

19.06h - and I made a double batch of kale chips, roasted in the oven w/ olive oil and salt until crispy.

19.44h - but the best was yet to come: Nady's tomato salad, made with tomatoes and some rosemary from her own private plantation. Incredible - couldn' stop oohhing and aahing. So flavorful and sweet - especially the yellow cherry tomatoes. A total treat!

20.16h - the entree - perfectly cooked and yummy tilapia w/ steamed broccoli and brown rice

20.20h - just so you don't think I ate everything in the picture above - this is my portion: (although I did have seconds...)

20.32h - a fly found its way into our bottle of wine, which left the hardier amongst us undeterred...

20.40h - and the crown jewel of the dinner: Nady's home made plum pie, with plums from her own tree. Long-anticipated by yours truly, and absolutely delicious! Nady made four (!) of these the other day, but this one, as we were assured, is the bestest and deepest...

20.53h - again, I didn't have the whole thing (although I think I might have, if left to my own devices and unencumbered by the rules of polite society), but again, I did have seconds, plus some vanilla ice cream (dairy-free shmairy-free). Fantastic pie, Nady - thanks so much!!