Family

Eastside Road, November 16, 2014—

THESE ARE WHAT the Italians call fragolini, "little strawberries" literally — in fact, little fraises des bois, and the biggest one here is perhaps three times the size of a common pencil-eraser, the one at the end of the pencil, if you haven't worn it down or (as I used to do, I confess) bitten it off.

Fragolini are among the most delicious things in the world, far as I'm concerned — and I'm a guy who normally doesn't particularly go crazy about strawberries. These little berries are about the only thing we haven't shared with family this last weekend, and not, I promise you, simply because they cost about a dime apiece. We, or at any rate I, was simply unwilling to share. We had them as dessert after lunch today, a nice lunch involving the minestrone Cook made the other day.



Dinners were taken with family — a sister is visiting from New Mexico, and what better way to socialize than at the table? Last night it was here, and involved chicken; tonight we're down the hill at the neighbor's, and you may be sure meat's on the menu — grilled over wood: beef and pork, and broccolini, and a plate of persimmons, avocado and arugula that was a joy to see. Oh: and fresh applesauce with vanilla ice cream. Delicious!

Cheap pinot grigio; Barbera, Preston of Dry Creek, 2011