Eve's crudite table

(Penned from somewhere east of Eden).

The concept of Eve and the Garden of Eden is a popular one for bible study and controversy. But it was also a thought-provoking concept for myself, a hostess in the modern age to consider what one might serve if Eve, or the Garden of Eden, were the inspiration for a meal.

In my Tuesday post on this topic, smart strokes were taken by Mary Dawson's hostess in her meal: Tiny lamb chops, meat patties, and tarts. The meal was cooked but required no utensils (as Eve surely had none) and considerately for the guests was devoid of messy foods as well.

It occurred to me initially that for our raw diet friends, one of whom was my boss, the meal a l'Eve would be a perfect entertaining concept. Challenging for we cooked food eaters maybe, but pleasantly so.

Eve, I will bet, was not a girl of fussiness. This meal occurred before paradise became just a garden of mortal temptations and failings. Back in the day in Eden, perfection was in everything just as it was and no one worried about the dress code at dinner.



I thought about how she might have greeted Adam on Friday night. First of all, she is nude because that is the way they did things there. You can make of that what you will, and so will I right now in my head... okay, that's enough, this is a family show.

They were still getting used to things: This new-life mortal thing, some pent up aggressions about his rib and her identity as it relates to feminism, figuring out how this world thing fits in with their existence in the Garden and trying to keep away from that infernal tree right there, in the middle of absolutely everything in paradise. You and I know that it is situated right there because that is the nature of temptation. But the earth parents are new and naive to say the least; Not one thing has ever gone wrong. There is a lot of learning left to do, roughly millions of years worth.



So, no apples. No fruit from that single tree. Or you die. You can do anything else: Admire your feet all day while hanging upside down from the pecan tree and braiding your turtles ears like Eloise if you want to: Just no fruit from that fabulous tree, capish (right, sometimes in my dreams, God is from Canarcie, what can I say?)?

But everything else is good and good for you, so eat anything you want. Clear?

And there is not going to be any babysitting or coddling you, my most perfect creations, you are brilliant. You have your instructions, heed this warning: Stay away from the tree. Or die. Seriously, you will die. Not joking. Not funny. Die.



You're on your own, he said. And he went off. While He was away, they must have had a meal or two. Maybe she stood over a tree stump in the Garden the way I do in the kitchen when Josh gets home, having a glass of wine, talking to my partner. Listening. Maybe she put out something to keep body and soul together while they exchanged the day's memories of Eden. Maybe it was crudite served in mother of pearl bowls and grass baskets.

Remember now that this time, when they might share the fruits of the Garden, is precious. And they are perfect. I have every reason to believe she cherished those moments and fruits of the Creators hand.

Maybe she reached into the corners of Eden just before he arrived for baby carrots and zucchini, some mushrooms from under a tree, vibrant Bibb lettuce from the patch behind the apricot and plum grove, and scallions and onions so sweet when pulled from the new earth that Adam could bite into them like fruits. Radishes, because she is also mother to the French as well as all of us, as the story goes. Butter, from those cows which did not smell, because this is Eden. And grey sea salt created on the first day when the sea was made and God saw that it was good. Maybe they dipped curled edges of lettuce into butter as well as beautiful, rustic, Easter egg radishes (foreshadowing things to come later in the good book). Just maybe.



I thought about this concept and developed some ideas for both the omnivore and raw diet mortals who might be treated to a meal a l'Eve. These are my thoughts.

Menu

Crudite
Sherried consumme
Spicy Bloody Mary shrimp cocktail
Trio of hard cooked eggs (deviled, lemon butter anchovy, and caper Mediterranean)
Lobster rolls with fresh summer vegetable Bibb lettuce wraps with zesty dressing
Petit four assortment

Nut tray


Raw Menu

Crudite
Gazpacho
Whole Berry Cup
Miniture Heirloom tomato cup salads
Fresh summer vegetable Bibb lettuce wraps with zesty dressing
Raw cheese tray
Raw yogurt, fig, and pistachio served with Tupelo honey


What do you think?

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