Tonight's dinner was the best dinner Drew & I have had in probably a year. Maybe more.  Maybe ever.

It actually started last night, as we lay in bed talking, for some reason lamb chops came up.  In an instant, I had a craving.  But for the fact that it was 9:15pm I would have gone to the store right then to get the chops. They just sounded so good.

We started early this morning, heading to a mechanic to have a new wheel bearing put into my car. Why is that significant? It's the first time we've ever taken a car to a garage for work. Ever. Drew does 100% of our car maintenance and he does an excellent job. This was a job where the tool to do it right would have cost more than twice what we paid to have it done today.

Anyway, we dropped off my car, drove Drew in to the university and I headed straight to Harris Teeter. I picked up some potatoes, asparagus, a couple of lemons and some lamb chops. Total cost: about $15.

As soon as Grant & I got home I mixed up the marinade shared by Rachel several years ago. It couldn't be simpler. Fresh rosemary from our garden, the juice from a lemon, the zest of a lemon, a couple of cloves of garlic (minced), olive oil and salt and pepper. The chops marinated in the fridge all afternoon. In fact, every time I walked by the fridge, I opened the doors and turned the bag over to make sure the chops were really coated.

We got the call that the car would be ready for pick up at 4:30. Grant & I packed up and headed back to UNCC, got Drew, got my car (it was fixed properly and right on budget) then we headed home.  Everyone was hungry so it was time for me to get to work. I peeled and boiled the potatoes. Next, I snapped the asparagus (all it needs is salt, pepper and olive oil) and put it in the oven. Meanwhile, chomping at the bit, Drew heated up the grill and got the chops going. After about five minute he came in and said “wow, these are going to be really good.” By now the potatoes were soft so I put them in the kitchen aid to mash them (with a bit of milk, butter salt and pepper). Drew turned the chops on the grill and came in again saying “oh honey, you have no idea. These are going to be really good.” The potatoes were just about ready, the asparagus was crispy without being burned and the chops came off the grill.

I wish I could tell you how amazing they smelled. The lemon and rosemary wafted through our kitchen leaving me with a sort of primordial urge to sit down and start eating. We piled our plates high with veggies and sat down in our kitchen.

The first bite was almost shocking. The lamb was tender, juicy, cooked perfectly, sublimely fatty. There was little talking after the second bite. The only sounds were sort of guttural grunts as we devoured what was on our plates, juices dripping down our chins. The smell, the taste, the feel of the chops was nothing short of intoxicating. The potatoes were warm and creamy, almost sweet. The asparagus crunchy, a little bitter, perfectly done.

The dinner alone cast our evening in a hazy, happy glow. We lounged happily on the couch watching Top Chef reruns... completely satisfied with what we'd eaten this evening. We even lazily held hands, occasionally commenting again about how wonderful the dinner was, trying to remember when the last time either one of us ate anything that left us as wholly satisfied as this. For the first time in weeks I actually felt no physical discomfort. My body was relaxed, my mind was relaxed. I had no concerns or worries or thoughts of “oh I need to do this” or “I better get the dishes done.” None of it. Just sheer bliss and satisfaction. Drew, amazingly, felt the same. The stress of the first week of classes, of leaving the car with a mechanic, of the anticipation of our new son, it all melted away with his first bite of lamb chop.

My blood sugar after dinner: 112.

Now, as we wind our evening down, our lamb chop-induced high starting to wear off, we're happily cuddling... though each is working on a separate lap top for a little while. We'll doze together, watching the new “Top Chef” confident that nothing they cook tonight will come close to the delicious dinner we ate together this evening.

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Jennifer   |2009-08-27 02:52:56 What is that matter with you? Now I want that glorious food for breakfast! I despair to eat cereal. You deserve every right to brag. For the next several posts if need be. Reply | Quote 0   0

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