Embracing with Hospitality

【Mood Platter】Series 14

▲The rich brunch dishes are the epitome of the author’s hospitality life.

Upgraded texture

For a long time, many young people often came and went in my small suite apartment, chatting, eating and drinking around the wooden table. As time goes by, after more than ten years, one batch after another changes like migratory birds. However, the original grand occasion of up to 11 people can no longer be replicated. As physical strength and energy gradually decline, the reception size gradually shrinks... Nowadays, four people per table is the "upper limit", and the most common thing is to get together one-on-one.

I like to use "brunch", which is to entertain guests in the form of brunch. It usually starts between 10:30 and 11:00 in the morning. I don't need to start work early in the morning, and I feel less stressed. Secondly, it still has the atmosphere of breakfast, so the dishes don’t need to be too complicated, it’s relatively easy to create, and you can easily create an “upgraded” texture!

To be promoted means to be a little richer and more diverse than usual. For example, if I grill a lamb chop, I can wrap a small piece of tin foil around the bones to add some "texture" and put a few slices of lemon on it, which is also a visual and taste bonus. Another option is to choose some unique utensils to serve dishes and drinks, which can also increase the flavor.

Of course, you can use disposable dishes to wash fewer dishes, but this may reduce the "sensory" experience. This is only a personal opinion. The most important thing is that the guests and hosts can enjoy themselves without being restricted to a certain form. Someone told me that when I went to the home of a friend who had obsessive-compulsive disorder, the host had many rules to follow, such as how to put braised pork on top of rice, etc. It made people nervous to the point of stomachache! That would be putting the cart before the horse too much.

In my brunch menu, "eggs" are an indispensable ingredient! The egg shortage trend some time ago was really frustrating. I went to Trader Joe's (my favorite store for shopping) a few times and there was always a shortage of eggs every time! The clerk said: "If you want to buy eggs, you have to come as soon as the door opens at 8:00 in the morning." I thought, is this too much effort to make a meal?

I accidentally discovered that the grocery store near my home sold eggs, and I had to praise the boss for his insight. These egg cartons are arranged in an orderly manner and look dazzling under the light! Due to special circumstances, even though it was "ordinary and non-organic", the price was inexplicably expensive, so I had no choice but to buy three dozen of them in one go! Join the stocking up bandwagon. This is the depression of ordinary people. The lack of eggs caused the original happiness index to drop halfway down the mountain. Now, the supply of eggs has returned to normal, but the price has also risen, and it is no longer the same as the egg scene of the past.

Guests know the etiquette

Not long ago, I entertained a young sister and specially cooked a rich egg dish. The sister didn't have a big appetite, so I packed a lunch box for her to take back after the meal. When we met again, she said, "I ate all the food I brought home that day, except for the eggs that I would prepare for breakfast the next day. But my roommate threw them away when they were cleaning out the refrigerator!" Hmm! It doesn’t make sense: “Why can your roommate just throw away your things?”

The sister said, "My roommate thought it was kitchen waste that had been left for a long time, because the boxes all looked the same." A wave of anger rushed to her head, "Why?" This egg was an organic, high-priced egg! Moreover, it is a carefully prepared creation. I am very satisfied with the combination of the contents and the processing of the egg skin. Even if it cannot be called a "waste", we cannot waste food like this!

Although I disagree with that roommate, I admire this sister who has a small appetite. Every time this sister comes to have a meal, she never goes to an appointment empty-handed. She always brings something pleasant when she comes to visit. For example, if she knew that I like to eat a kind of tomato called Kumato, she would bring a box; if she knew that I like to eat fish, she would cook a fish. He is a young man who knows little about etiquette among his peers. The more troublesome thing is that every time I have to keep reminding me: "There must be enough food to eat, and people can come." What an elder like me really values is her warm and considerate heart.

Think about it, our Heavenly Father does the same. Since He has given us a banquet, how can He not have more than enough? Doesn’t He value soul and honesty, a heart that makes Him smile? If we are unaware of His intentions and throw away grace casually, we will not only make Him sad, but we will also miss the opportunity to taste the beauty.

have abundance

I have always liked Proverbs 11:25: "He who gives well will prosper; he who nourishes others will be nourished." If life could be condensed into one scene, I like to keep the scene of "hospitality", whether it is entertaining others or being treated by others. Hospitality from others is a blessing!

Recently, I was invited by a couple to have dinner at their home, and I enjoyed a beautiful and delicious "brunch" in the new house they just bought. I remembered that I was setting up a proposal venue with the boy, and used a trick to lure the heroine into a "trap". Then prepare the flower arrangements and decorations for the wedding, move after the wedding, buy a house... and other processes, all in one bite after another. To me, being treated like this means something special, a welcome comfort and a special reward.

Whether you entertain others or receive hospitality from others, it is a rich possession! Doesn’t the relationship between people all depend on how to entertain each other? Only by coming and going can we nourish each other. Facing the four seasons and years, we spend a lot of time facing ourselves. How to get along well with ourselves and treat ourselves well is an unavoidable learning in a lifetime. Some people live frugally all their lives and are reluctant to be kind to themselves; some people are selfish and stingy and are reluctant to be kind to others. Sorry, both of them "can't treat themselves well" and cannot enjoy an upgraded life.

It may seem that I am walking alone on the road of life, but don’t forget that the Lord Jesus, my beloved, is with me all the way. Even if some indifferent pedestrians pass by me occasionally, they don’t need to stop for too long. Only by doing it and cherishing it can you be worthy of life.

Miao Huitian, older and single, with money to travel but no money to take a walk. You can be lazy, diligent, active and at home; you can appreciate beautiful scenery, beautiful things, and beautiful things, and like good food, beautiful articles, and beautiful music.