Catherine Nicolai

We'd invite half a dozen or so friends, make a big buffet of snacks, and clear off the dining room table to make space for fun. Remember fun? When we were kids, we woke up each day with a deep-seated need and an insatiable appetite for it. We sought it out and often found it a hundred times a day. We made up games in an instant. Played them until we thought up a better one. Then played that.

We'd invite half a dozen or so friends, make a big buffet of snacks, and clear off the dining room table to make space for fun. Remember fun? When we were kids, we woke up each day with a deep-seated need and an insatiable appetite for it. We sought it out and often found it a hundred times a day. We made up games in an instant. Played them until we thought up a better one. Then played that.

We'd invite half a dozen or so friends, make a big buffet of snacks, and clear off the dining room table to make space for fun. Remember fun? When we were kids, we woke up each day with a deep-seated need and an insatiable appetite for it. We sought it out and often found it a hundred times a day. We made up games in an instant. Played them until we thought up a better one. Then played that.

Game night always reminded me how vital fun was. How good it felt to laugh until my cheeks hurt. And now, Instead of waking up bleary-eyed and head-achy on New Year's Day, I was guaranteed to wake up feeling like a kid again. We had a bit of cleaning to do before our guests arrived, and we divvied up the jobs.

Game night always reminded me how vital fun was. How good it felt to laugh until my cheeks hurt. And now, Instead of waking up bleary-eyed and head-achy on New Year's Day, I was guaranteed to wake up feeling like a kid again. We had a bit of cleaning to do before our guests arrived, and we divvied up the jobs.

Game night always reminded me how vital fun was. How good it felt to laugh until my cheeks hurt. And now, Instead of waking up bleary-eyed and head-achy on New Year's Day, I was guaranteed to wake up feeling like a kid again. We had a bit of cleaning to do before our guests arrived, and we divvied up the jobs.

There was firewood to be brought in, food to prepare, and a few scraps of wrapping paper still kicking around under the sofa in the living room to be picked up. I volunteered for all kitchen-related chores and left my better half to attend to the rest I always opted to be in the kitchen if I could. It almost never felt like work to me.

There was firewood to be brought in, food to prepare, and a few scraps of wrapping paper still kicking around under the sofa in the living room to be picked up. I volunteered for all kitchen-related chores and left my better half to attend to the rest I always opted to be in the kitchen if I could. It almost never felt like work to me.

There was firewood to be brought in, food to prepare, and a few scraps of wrapping paper still kicking around under the sofa in the living room to be picked up. I volunteered for all kitchen-related chores and left my better half to attend to the rest I always opted to be in the kitchen if I could. It almost never felt like work to me.

Not when I could turn on some music and dance around in my socks and chop and sauté. and wind up with something delicious at the end. I started by making a soup, something thick and hearty for a cold December night. I took a couple of leeks from the fridge I thought they looked like green onions that had grown up and lived adult lives now.

Not when I could turn on some music and dance around in my socks and chop and sauté. and wind up with something delicious at the end. I started by making a soup, something thick and hearty for a cold December night. I took a couple of leeks from the fridge I thought they looked like green onions that had grown up and lived adult lives now.

Not when I could turn on some music and dance around in my socks and chop and sauté. and wind up with something delicious at the end. I started by making a soup, something thick and hearty for a cold December night. I took a couple of leeks from the fridge I thought they looked like green onions that had grown up and lived adult lives now.

I sliced them into coins and dropped them into a colander to rinse in the sink. Leeks are grown in sandy soil and need to be washed carefully before they're cooked Some might find that a pain, but I liked all the small, fiddly parts of cooking. Dicing things into even pieces, snipping herbs from stems, and even washing leeks. Once they were squeaky clean,

I sliced them into coins and dropped them into a colander to rinse in the sink. Leeks are grown in sandy soil and need to be washed carefully before they're cooked Some might find that a pain, but I liked all the small, fiddly parts of cooking. Dicing things into even pieces, snipping herbs from stems, and even washing leeks. Once they were squeaky clean,

I sliced them into coins and dropped them into a colander to rinse in the sink. Leeks are grown in sandy soil and need to be washed carefully before they're cooked Some might find that a pain, but I liked all the small, fiddly parts of cooking. Dicing things into even pieces, snipping herbs from stems, and even washing leeks. Once they were squeaky clean,

I sauteed them in the bottom of my giant soup pot with olive oil and a pinch of salt. While they cooked down, I overturned a bag of golden potatoes onto the counter and started peeling and chopping. then in with the potatoes and broth and fresh thyme and black pepper. I had a grandfather who believed wholeheartedly in the healing properties of black pepper.

I sauteed them in the bottom of my giant soup pot with olive oil and a pinch of salt. While they cooked down, I overturned a bag of golden potatoes onto the counter and started peeling and chopping. then in with the potatoes and broth and fresh thyme and black pepper. I had a grandfather who believed wholeheartedly in the healing properties of black pepper.

I sauteed them in the bottom of my giant soup pot with olive oil and a pinch of salt. While they cooked down, I overturned a bag of golden potatoes onto the counter and started peeling and chopping. then in with the potatoes and broth and fresh thyme and black pepper. I had a grandfather who believed wholeheartedly in the healing properties of black pepper.

and I always added an extra pinch for him. I set the soup to simmer away and turned to the next task. The soup would be perfect to serve up in cups between rounds. But we also needed finger foods that wouldn't interrupt our all-important play. For this, I made muhammara, a delicious dip of Syrian origin that felt pretty fancy but came together in a flash.

and I always added an extra pinch for him. I set the soup to simmer away and turned to the next task. The soup would be perfect to serve up in cups between rounds. But we also needed finger foods that wouldn't interrupt our all-important play. For this, I made muhammara, a delicious dip of Syrian origin that felt pretty fancy but came together in a flash.