Authors: Marita Conlon-McKenna
‘I saw her very briefly,’ Alice reminded her. ‘She was just a skinny brunette with long legs and high boots, who, when I saw her, was wrapped around my husband, for God’s sake!’
‘Definitely anorexic,’ Sally said sagely.
‘Very harsh-looking … hatchet-faced,’ added Nina.
‘Great body, great legs, great hair,’ Alice admitted. ‘Very stylish. Did you see those boots she was wearing? And her jacket? Though maybe she is kind of hard-looking. Her face is so thin and kind of …’
‘Botox?’ suggested Sally bitchily.
Alice burst out laughing. Sally was not only loyal but hilarious.
‘Liam looks well,’ Nina blurted out without thinking.
‘Sex and Botox!’ laughed Sally.
‘What?’
‘Shut up, you,’ said Sally and Alice in unison.
‘Butterflied leg of lamb’ was a bit of a challenge, but Alice believed that the majority of the class would rise to it. And there was spinach and rosemary soup to start.
‘My mouth is watering already,’ admitted Rachel, as she sat down waiting for Leah to arrive.
Alice checked the temperatures in the ovens, and that she had enough of everything to begin cooking.
‘A good butcher is essential,’ she advised as she showed them how her butcher had deboned the meat and shaped it, making it quicker and easier to cook. Then she explained how to make the marinade that she had used for her lamb.
Once the lamb was in the oven she prepared a tray of gratin potatoes to serve with it, and then demonstrated how simple it was to make the light spinach soup, blending a little rosemary in the oil used to fry the onion and potato, before adding the stock and finally the fresh spinach.
It was a bit of a squeeze in the ovens, and it worked out well that tonight Rachel and Leah were cooking the lamb between them, as were the Elliots, and that Kerrie had asked Lucy if she’d mind sharing the cost of buying the lamb, as
her boyfriend Matt wasn’t around and she would never manage to cook, let alone eat, it all on her own. Lucy was delighted as this week she was extra-tight on funds as she had to leave her old boots in to be repaired as the stitching was going on the toes.
Lucy was busy making her soup, tasting it, herself and Emmet chatting away easily. Alice felt Emmet was a bit of a dark horse, but he was a very able cook, had a relaxed way in the kitchen, and never got het up.
Everyone kept checking their ovens, and the lamb was melt-in-the-mouth when it was finally ready. The gratin potatoes were hot and bubbling as Rob and Gemma and Paul and Kerrie all decided to sit down to enjoy the meal while it was still piping hot.
Alice, hungry herself, joined them.
‘Well worth all the work and the wait!’ was the verdict, as the meat was carved up and served.
‘The rest will heat up beautifully tomorrow,’ Alice promised.
As she tidied up, Alice noticed that Rob had stayed behind.
‘You know me, I hate eating on my own,’ he explained, packing away the remainder of the lamb and potatoes to be taken home.
‘Rob, when I was training we’d all devour everything we made almost the minute it came out of the oven. The head chefs would be furious with us, but it all tasted so much better than reheated later!’ Alice laughed. Then she said, ‘Will you have a cup of coffee before you go? I’m having one.’
‘Decaf, please.’ He nodded, putting the bag down.
*
Twice during the past few weeks Alice had gone out with Rob again. Sunday lunch and a walk in Glendalough two weekends ago, and last Saturday they’d gone to a jazz session in the Killiney Court Hotel, where he had introduced her to his brother and his wife and a few of his friends. It was nice to have a bit of male company, but she wasn’t sure about where it was all going. Rob had been a perfect gentleman. He had held her hand, and even given her a polite goodnight kiss on the lips, but that was it.
‘Alice, I wanted to ask if you are free to come to dinner on Saturday?’ he said as he helped her to load up the dishwasher and clear away a few things. ‘I’ll book somewhere nice.’
‘Rob, that’s so kind of you, but actually I can’t – I’m going to Galway this weekend to see Jenny.’
She liked Rob, he was such a nice man, but she wasn’t ready to fall into another relationship so quickly. She didn’t want Rob to presume that just because they were both on their own she was ready to get entangled romantically with him!
‘Then what about the following weekend?’ he persisted.
‘Yes, that would be great.’ She laughed, giving in. ‘Something I’ll look forward to!’
Rob and herself were chatting away about the class when Sean and Dara arrived back.
‘Rob’s one of my students,’ she said, introducing them.
‘One of the more mature ones,’ Rob added.
‘What was cooking in the kitchen tonight?’ Dara asked, sniffing around the kitchen.
‘There’s some lamb and potato gratin left, if you fancy them.’
Sean got up to sort it out. The two of them helped themselves to the leftovers and sat down again beside Alice and Rob.
‘They’re like vultures,’ Alice teased. ‘Honestly, they’d eat me out of house and home.’
‘Look, I’d better get going,’ said Rob, gathering his things. ‘I’ll see you next week, Alice.’
As the boys filled Alice in on the big plans for Dara’s upcoming twenty-first in two weeks’ time, with his folks giving a dinner in his house first and then going on to a nightclub in town, she thought of poor Rob returning alone to his empty house.
Alice had enjoyed every minute of her weekend with her daughter. Galway was a great city, and it was easy to see why Jenny was so happy to be up here at university. They’d gone for walks along the Corrib and out along the Salthill promenade.
On Saturday morning she’d enjoyed visiting the Galway market with all its artisan foods. There were wonderful smoked fish and cheeses and some dressings and marinades which Alice couldn’t resist buying. It was a real ‘foodie’ heaven of a town, with its fantastic range of little restaurants: from lunch in the Old Mill to dinner in Bia which was just off Shop Street. Jenny dragged her along to meet some of her friends in Hanley’s pub afterwards. They were a great crowd, and it was lovely to see her daughter so happy and settled. As she ordered a round of drinks Alice couldn’t help but notice the tall skinny guy with the beard who seemed to be constantly at Jenny’s side.
Dylan seemed very pleasant and nice to her, and it was only when she was going to the train station that Jenny admitted that the quiet fourth-year medical student was her boyfriend.
‘Well, I really like him,’ Alice said, hugging Jenny goodbye, ‘and you know Dylan’s very welcome to come home to Dublin whenever you want!’
Sitting on the train she laughed and texted Joy.
You were right! His name is Dylan
.
The Tuesday class had gone really well, and Alice had shown her pupils how to make a simple duck confit with juniper berries and individual chocolate pudding pots.
Rachel and Leah had surprised her by turning out an almost professional-looking meal.
‘Our husbands don’t know what’s hit them,’ they joked. ‘We’re both having friends around to dinner next weekend, so fingers crossed that we remember everything and that it goes well.’
‘I’m sure everything will turn out perfectly,’ said Alice. ‘Just remember to do as much preparation beforehand as possible so you can both enjoy yourselves. There’s nothing worse than the hostess slaving alone in the kitchen!’
‘Are you still on for our dinner on Saturday?’ reminded Rob before he left.
‘Yes, of course!’
‘Then I’ll pick you up about eight on Saturday night. We’re eating in a nice little place overlooking the sea.’
‘Sounds great. I’m looking forward to it.’
Alice had raked through her wardrobe trying to decide what to wear, opting in the end for a little black wool dress that had a cinched-in waist. She hadn’t worn it in quite a while, but now, since she’d dropped another five kilos, it made her feel
young and attractive. Her hair was very gradually going up a tone, and the sprinkle of light-blonde highlights that her hairdresser had introduced had given her a lift. She slipped her feet into the expensive pair of new black strappy high-heeled shoes that Jenny had insisted she buy in Galway, saying that they were an investment. Giving a twirl, Alice had to admit she was pleased with her reflection in the mirror.
I’m happy! And I look it!
The past few months had been great. She really looked forward to the Tuesday night classes; not just the cooking and giving lessons, but the planning and organizing and just being busy and having people around. She couldn’t believe it, but her new Thursday night class was already full.
Rob was punctual collecting her in his Volvo. She wondered where they were heading, was it Sandycove or Dun Laoghaire? Or maybe they were going to dinner in Howth on the far side of Dublin Bay, where there were some really good restaurants.
To her surprise they only drove a few minutes and Rob pulled his car up outside his own house on Clifton Terrace which had an amazing view of the seafront and bay.
‘We’re having dinner here tonight!’ He laughed and opened the car door for her.
‘You’re cooking dinner?’ she asked, really surprised as he led her into the house.
‘Well, I’ve had a very good teacher,’ he explained, as he showed her around.
The house was beautiful, fabulous tall ceilings with perfect cornices and magnificent decorative centrepieces that dated from when the house was built in the 1800s. The sitting room was upstairs on the first floor, and overlooked the whole of
Dublin Bay. Alice took a glimpse through Rob’s expensive telescope at Howth Head as the sun began to dip in the sky.
Although the room was huge it was warm and comfortable, with big couches, an ottoman and heavy brocade curtains, one wall lined with books and a collection of family photos. Rob poured her a gin and tonic as she had a look around.
There were lots of photographs of his sons – one slight and fair, the other tall and dark like Rob – and photos of Rob and his wife Kate. A pretty petite woman with dark hair and laughing eyes, there were photos of her everywhere: on holidays, on the beach, holding a baby, dancing with Rob, the four of them on bicycles.
‘She’s beautiful,’ said Alice, ‘really beautiful.’
‘Thanks.’
Rob had set up a small table and laid it for dinner in front of the window.
‘I told you we’d be eating overlooking the water.’
Alice couldn’t believe that he had gone to so much trouble: silver, candles, crystal and a vase of freesias.
‘I’d better go and check on things in the kitchen,’ he said, leading her downstairs to the basement with its ultra-modern pale-grey and ivory SieMatic units, and finger-touch hob. ‘Kate had it put in four years before she died,’ he explained. ‘She’d put up with a dark basement kitchen with oak units and green tiles, which she hated with a vengeance, for most of our married life! Finally we decided to do a job on it, and replaced the narrow back window with French doors to the garden, and decided on a new window and door to the front, too, so we have light from both ends.’
‘It’s an amazing kitchen. You’ll be the envy of everyone in the class.’
‘To tell the truth, Alice, I spend very little time here. I cook and then live in the other parts of the house.’
‘What are you cooking tonight?’ she asked, curious.
‘Well, a wonderful chef I know always recommends keeping it simple, so I have taken her at her word and done just that.’
‘Can I do anything to help?’ she offered.
‘No, I think everything is under control,’ he said confidently, checking the oven.
‘That smells good!’
‘There’s fillet steak and creamy gratin potatoes and a crumble for dessert.’
‘Hey, I’m not doing a crumble for dessert for another two weeks,’ she teased.
‘I cheated and took one of the photocopies of the meal plan you’d left lying around two weeks ago, and followed it step by step.’
Rob was really full of surprises.
‘Come on, let’s go back upstairs, enjoy the view, and open a nice bottle of wine, as we are just about ready to eat.’
Rob had made prawn cocktail, and served it with slices of lovely warm brown bread.
‘That bread was my mother’s recipe. I found it in an old box of photos and school reports she had kept.’
‘It’s got a lovely, almost nutty taste to it,’ Alice said, helping herself to another slice.
The steaks were perfectly cooked and tender, and worked beautifully with the potatoes and tossed green bean medley.
‘Rob, you really can cook!’ Alice said, praising him. ‘You’ve come on so much. I’m impressed!’
‘It started off as a necessity, but now, I suppose you’re right, I’m beginning to think about food more and enjoy preparing it.’
As he went back downstairs with the plates she took in the magnificent view of the lights around Dublin Bay, and the beam from the lighthouse cast its glow over the shore and the marina and the yachts moored in the harbour below.
‘Rob, what a view! It must be so relaxing after a long day at work to come home and just sit here and stare at the sea, watching the waves going in and out.’
‘I suppose it is very soothing,’ he said, bringing in the dessert and putting it on the sideboard. ‘There is always something to watch and see. Sometimes I just sit here for hours.’
‘Hey, this looks good!’
‘Apple crumble,’ said Rob with a flourish, as he served her the dessert with a scoop of whipped cream.
‘I feel so guilty letting you do all this work,’ Alice admitted afterwards, as he poured them some coffee.
‘Me … cooking … it used to be a pretty rare event!’ He laughed. ‘I suppose I just wanted to see if I could do it!’
‘Well, you certainly can! If the rest of the class have learned half as much about preparing and serving a perfect meal like you’ve done, Rob, I’ll be so pleased!’
He blushed, slightly embarrassed, though she could see he was delighted with the praise. Funny how men rarely got praised about things!
‘Let’s take our coffee over and sit down in front of the fire,’ he suggested, throwing another log on.