Last Wednesday, we had arranged lunch with Jane's mom and sister Anne, since they live quite nearby. We arrived to find Anne rotisserieing a while chicken. Anne is an ambitious chef and an eager writer. Besides her own web log, she's started a Cheese Diaries web site with friend Connie. For our dessert Wednesday, Anne had prepared a chocolate cake made with cayanne? pepper. But she hadn't finished handmaking chocolate frosting yet, so I had to content myself with memories of her rose-water and pomegranite cake.

I'm delighted to be guinea pig for her gastronomical experiments! When I started dating Jane I had no idea I would be privvy to this fabulous feasting at family affairs.

Anne is currently independent, freelancing, unemployed. It helps explain why she's had mental space and time to explore a passion for food. She's been looking for a job; I've been trying to steer her towards ecological/scientific writers who might need a smart research assistant/apprentice. And independent chefs, like Annick who might give her some ideas for making a living off food craft. Either way, I hope Anne's intense exploration of nourishment and excess is only slightly tempered by opportunities for more financial security.