'One more reason to celebrate,' Angelica said. 'This calls for champagne.'
'We don't have any,' Tricia said, feeling like a party pooper.
'Yes, we do,' said Mr. Everett. And he brought out a chrome champagne bucket on a stand from behind the sales counter.
'If you'll look under that tray on the shelf over there, Ginny, I think you'll find the crystal flutes. Isn't it amazing what you can rent in a wonderful little village like Stoneham?' Angelica said and beamed.
For a small-town grocer turned bibliophile, Mr. Everett would have made a pretty fair sommelier. He popped the cork with style, and Ginny captured the geyser of sparking wine in a couple of glasses, passing them to Angelica and Bob, and then to the rest of the gathering, including herself and Mr. Everett.
'Who'll make the toast?' Roger asked.
Tricia stepped forward, feeling anything but cheerful. 'I suppose it had better be me.' She turned her gaze to her sister, exhaled a long breath, forced a smile, and raised her glass. 'To Angelica, and her new venture.'
'Here, here,' chorused the rest of them and sipped.
'I should like to make a toast as well,' Angelica said. 'To Tricia, who makes all things possible.'
Tricia waved an impatient hand. 'Like what?'
'Like what? You've given Ginny and Mr. Everett here jobs-that's good for the local economy. Through your efforts Grace has been freed from her imprisonment at that assisted living center, and your shop brings happiness to all those tourists with nothing to read.'
Tricia shrugged. 'I guess.'
'And because of you I've got a new life. New friends.' She eyed the gathering and gave Bob a modest smile. 'A new job, and will soon have a new home.' Angelica raised her glass, tipping it in her sister's direction.
Tricia raised her glass as well and managed a smile. 'Not bad for the village jinx, huh?'
Angelica's Recipes
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped (I often toss in a lot more)
1 pound country spareribs
1 pound Italian sausage links (I use hot)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28-ounce size)
2 cans tomato puree (28-ounce size)
1 can tomato paste (6-ounce size)
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
In a large pot, heat oil, brown onion and garlic, sear ribs, and brown sausage.
Empty contents of all the cans (tomatoes, puree, and paste). Add bay leaves, salt, and sugar.
Simmer 3 to 4 hours, longer if you like a thicker sauce. Stir occasionally.
Serve over your favorite pasta with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, and with crusty bread.
1 lobster (1 1/2 pounds)
2 stalks celery
1 cup butter (1/2 pound)
2 shallots, minced
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
1 teaspoon paprika
salt, white pepper
1/2 cup sherry
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 cup flour
Place lobster and celery in a heavy saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil; boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until lobster is red and cooked.
Remove lobster, set aside to cool. Strain broth and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Saute shallots and onion until soft and translucent. Add half-and-half plus some of the lobster broth (reserving 3 cups for later). Heat thoroughly, then add seasoning, sherry, and bouillon cube. In a bowl, mix together the flour and 3 cups of lobster broth. Add flour mixture to the saucepan. Heat until thickened.
Remove meat from lobster and add to the bisque. Allow the bisque to simmer (do not boil) for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Angelica is a stickler for making things from scratch. Unfortunately, not all of us have the time. Therefore, this recipe uses a shortcut of two loaves of frozen bread dough. But if you'd like to follow in Angelica's footsteps, by all means use your favorite from-scratch bread recipe. Feel free to play with the ingredients and add others to this wonderful bread that makes a meal when accompanied by most soups.
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 pound sliced ham
1/4 pound sliced pepperoni
1/4 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce, divided
1/4 pound sliced hard salami
1/4 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
1/4 pound sliced Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled. Punch down. Roll loaves together into one 15-inch-by-12-inch rectangle.
Layer ham and pepperoni on half of the dough (lengthwise). Sprinkle with the onion and green pepper. Top with 1/4 cup of pizza sauce. Layer the salami, mozzarella, and Swiss cheese over sauce. Sprinkle with basil, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Spread another 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce on top.
Fold plain half of the dough over the filling and seal the edges well. Place on a foil-lined, lightly greased baking pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Brush with melted butter. Heat the remaining pizza sauce and serve with the sliced Stromboli. Serves 4 to 6.
