Dinner On The Table tonight is pizza. Every Friday night we grill pizzas.
At the risk of sounding like lushes, after 5PM is cocktail hour at our house; it’s part of dinner. As we age, cocktails are becoming more of a weekend thing, but we used to have a cocktail (or wine) almost every night when we were younger, though we were almost always out or entertaining during those years. DH’s parents introduced us to the civility of cocktail hour which they have observed religiously since I’ve known them. Besides providing me with DH, it’s the one positive thing I credit them for. Cocktails/wine signal the end of the work day (whatever that looks like for you) and start the evening off with pleasant conversation (background music a must) which flows easily to the dinner table. For us, it’s a pleasant, relaxing transition that enhances our enjoyment of the meal. Usually, we’ve prepared an hors d’oeuvres, like the crab stacks I posted on the Building A Salad thread, or we just enjoy a glass of wine or two while we cook.
From this and other food threads, it’s evident that, for many, planning and cooking meals is more work than play but, for us, it’s the highlight of most of our days. DH and I have enjoyed planning meals, shopping for ingredients, testing (tasting!) recipes, and cooking together for over 40 years. We’d rather be in the kitchen together and feeding our family and friends than anywhere else, and cocktail hour is part of that celebration.