Cooking on my birthday

Every year for the past four years I have cooked an Italian meal for people, not my family.  This year the date that was chosen by mutual agreement, is my birthday.  For those of you that think that’s insane, here are a few of my thoughts about this:

I love to cook and eat.  Cooking and eating with friends who enjoy good food (and good wine) is even better.  And, cooking and eating with friends who enjoy good food, good wine and a sunny evening on a deck on my birthday is a no-lose situation.

As most of the people that are at this Italian meal are close acquaintances or friends, it’s a win-win for me.

The dinner is an auction item I offer for my youngest son’s former private school.  Why do I continue to offer a donation for a fundraiser to a school my son no longer attends?  Well, why not?  He attended there five years, many of my current friends are from this school, and who doesn’t love to eat something that someone else has cooked?  

I try out new recipes every year; some are very uncomplicated and some are quite a bit more time-consuming.  This year, for instance, I made home-made zabaglione (frozen ice cream), home-made ravioli and home-made pizzelle (cookies).  We always serve this with lots of wine, laughter and more food.

I have learned to make tiramisu, chicken saltimbocca, chicken scaloppini, a variety of vegetable side dishes, and desserts through this dinner.  

It’s always an adventure.  Sometimes I test-drive the recipes before I serve them; other times I just cook them for the first time the night of the dinner.  Although some of the food hasn’t been my favorite, I’ve yet to have a complaint.  

I *make* between $600 and $1300 a year for the school with this donation; I spend about $300 a meal (for 8 people) for the donation.  Both are tax deductible.  This year, I donated two dinners, which sold for $650 each; I’ll spend roughly $500 for the two meals together.  And, I get the leftovers.  

I get to explore my Italian heritage through cooking.  

Cheese, wine, pasta and bread can never be a bad thing (okay, for my friends who are lactose or dairy intolerant, watching their carbs or gluten free, it can be a bad thing).

I learned to make gluten-free pasta dough because I wanted to.  

I got a ravioli press out of the deal (and I might get a pizzelle iron too)!

I get to use the guilt of guests and my birthday to get the house clean.

My kids get to see the service, sacrifice, fun and work in helping people in ways that isn’t just handing them money on a street corner (you knew I couldn’t leave politics out, huh?).

Happy Birthday to me; Happy donations to the school!