AS YOUNG ACTORS IN NEW YORK IN THE EARLY ’80S, MY THEN-BOYFRIEND (NOW HUSBAND) AND I
couldn’t afford to give presents, so instead we would invite friends over to our one-bedroom
apartment for elaborate 10-course meals. The portions were tiny, but I cooked my heart
out. We served wines we’d been given as tips from various catering jobs. The women wore
their best gowns, the men were in jackets and ties, and everyone brought extra silverware
or plates ... even chairs! I always included a few recipes from Food & Wine, where I have
worked off and on for 38 years: editor W. Peter Prestcott’s shredded brussels sprouts sautéed
with beef stock and heavy cream (December 1984); Bob Chambers’ Chocolate Shortbread
Hearts (February 1988); the roasted salmon with Pinot Noir sauce from the Hotel Sorrento,
suffused with tarragon, fennel, and thyme (May 1987). It was a way we could say “I love you”
to our best friends, and it’s now a tradition we remember with joy. —DAVID MCCANN, FORMER
TEST KITCHEN ASSISTANT AND ACTOR