Sunday dinner. Late setting as in full days. Music hearts and violin teachers. Long days ahead. A perfect setting with a friend, violinist, music teacher of one of the girls over many years. Covid zoom sessions made its way to our home too. Admiration for those who capture the student between screen, etudes, composition, pandemic desperation.
The conversation we have is about a small music school. Finding the right way to attract parents to subscribe their small children. The biggest stretch by far seems the countless stream of activities bombarded at parents in the 21 century. How then will they choose me? You? The clown?
The secret maybe lays in how to set you self apart from the others. Without being arrogant. Not a simple task in the jungle of the turmoil activities that is available. Let alone the platforms advertising and announcing more fun activities to come.
We change the topic of our conversation. From music to food. She experimented with many diets over the last years. Likewise at our family although that’s all much more about allergies and intolerance. Her choices originate from a volatile time schedule. Teaching music in a variety of settings and performing as an artist mean days are long and there is not much time in between for a pause and peaceful lunch and dinner. The dynamics are often just so that you forget about your own health. Discipline then comes as an a-tout and helps keeping things cool, in place and not completely crazy. Jingling with carbs, vegetables intake, fluids and also enjoying food when you’re invited feels like work too but her love for food will always win and she surprises me again with her stories about sitting at a table in Greece and the urge to taste it all. Perfect I think. Isn’t that not what we all love the most deep inside! Not feeling guilty afterwards that you didn’t care to try, taste, pick up new flavors? It makes me smile. Ode to food. So French.
We have quinoa with a feast of colors. And walnuts. That’s because e the house is empty and there is no one there with nut allergies. It feels odd when I add the walnuts. I am not used to it and I’ll never will.
The vinaigrette makes the dish. That’s what Eva my dear Moroccan, French friend always says. Combine the olive oil with the pomegranate syrup. Or if you wish less sweet use an apple vinegar.
The plate: dinner with a friend and a daughter
