Three Beautiful Things 12/24/17: Twenty Years Later in Kellogg, Smoke Up the House, Cuban Dinner

1. Ah, Christmas Eve. On this day twenty years ago, early in the afternoon, after lunch at Lindaman's on Grand Blvd. in Spokane, the Deke and I pulled up to the Hitchin' Post Lakeside Chapel on Government Way in Coeur d'Alene and, after securing a marriage license across the street at the courthouse, slipped into the chapel, stood before the resident pastor, and repeated our vows to one another and got married.

Then we drove to Kellogg. We arrived a little early, much to Mom's dismay because when we pulled up in the blue compact Chevy pickup, we could see Mom through the picture window, rollers in her hair, vacuuming in preparation for our arrival.

Mom set aside any irritation she might have felt, though, welcomed us enthusiastically and our honeymoon at 516 W. Cameron was underway.

Now, twenty years later, Mom is no longer with us and the Deke and I live in our honeymoon house.

We started our day the way we always do: fed the dogs, I blogged, we drank coffee, and we yakked about the upcoming day.

And, just like twenty years ago, we started to get ready for this year's version of another culture's food for Christmas Eve dinner. Twenty years ago, we ate a Native American meal, featuring salmon grilled on cedar planks. Today, we would prepare Cuban food and have a Cuban dinner at Carol and Paul's.

2. The Deke took over the kitchen first and filled it with smells of onion, red pepper, oregano, and black bean's as she made a beautiful and very delicious soup called Gloria's Black Bean Soup.

Earlier, I started making my contribution by making mojo. I combined garlic, olive oil, fresh oregano leaves, and lime juice into a bowl. I extracted one tablespoon from it and mixed it with olive oil and red wine vinegar and combined it with romaine lettuce and a spring mix of greens. This would become the bottom layer of my dish:  Grilled-Vegetable Salad with Cuban Mojo.

After the Deke finished making Gloria's Black Bean Soup, I proceeded to fill the house with smoke.

You see, my job entailed grilling green peppers, red bell peppers, zucchini, sweet onion, and eggplant to spread atop the lettuce and greens. I generously covered the zucchini, sweet onion, and eggplant with mojo, but, well, because we don't have a grill, I broiled the vegetables until they were charred. Charring multiple batches of mojo covered vegetable slices smoked up the house. I turned the oven fan/vent on high. For a while the Deke and I felt like we had moved into a house sitting beneath jets taking off from O'Hare Airport. The two lower speeds are much quieter, but if we want to crank up the fan on full blast, it's intense. Ha!

3. Carol, Paul, Molly, Travis, Zoe, Cosette, Christy, Everett, the Deke, and I enjoyed conversation and cocktails and appetizers for a while and then we sat down at the Christmas Eve table after Carol instructed us in the traditions of Christmas in Cuba. Here's what comprised our awesome Cuban Christmas dinner:

Cocktails

Cuba Libre (Paul)
Mojitos (Paul)

Appetizers

Croquetas de Jambo (Jane McShane)
Crab Empanadas with Pickled Garlic-Caper Remoulade (Molly and Travis)
Garlic Plantain Chips (Molly and Travis)

Dinner

Gloria's Black Bean Soup (the Deke)
Avocado Salad (Cosette)
Pan Cubano (Carol)
Roasted Pork Shoulder Marinated with Mojo (Carol)
Grilled-Vegetable Salad with Mojo (Bill)
Yellow Rice (Christy)

Dessert 

Turron de Coco (Zoe)


Carol created a Pinterest board called "Christmas in Cuba" and, if you visit it, you can find links to each of the food recipes by going right here. Want to make the cocktails? You are on your own to find those recipes!