My first vaccination went really well. I made an appointment at the hospital, where everything was very organized, everyone was cheerful and helpful, and I suffered no ill effects short of a one-day sore arm. I am relieved, and feel I can look forward a little. Even so, if the virus were not holding me captive, the cold would be. And so it is that I find myself in the cookbook section of my house.
The books are heavy, bowing their shelves a little above the counter in the laundry room. There is no space for them anywhere else. The main question is: why do I need them? I can find any recipe I want on the internet. I have culled in the past and gotten rid of some of those I know I will never need, Japanese, Chinese, How to Make Your Own Cheese and Portuguese Paradise, Cooking at its best. They were seldom used unless I were sharing a themed dinner with friends or family. It’s been a long time.