It’s Friday night. 17 people are at my house and what seems like 17 different sauces are in pots on my stove. Most are overflowing onto my counter though. 7 loaves of rustic breads are squeezed into a corner. There’s a knife and cutting board for everyone to take a slice. It’s Thanksgiving, but tonight we’re praising the best part of every meal: the sauce.
My little sister is hanging out with Adam on the couch. She’s visiting from Milwaukee. My sister is 16 and Adam is 14. I think she just fell in love. They’re giggling over cat videos and trying to entertain the entire room. Nobody wants their entertainment though. My little brother is in town too. He’s fluttering around the room like an elephant at the wrong party. At 6 foot something, my brother’s a real Milchtein. He’s big and loud. My brother doesn’t care for the other kid his age there. He has another target; my taekwondo teacher, Vlad.
Vlad’s holding a plate piled high in sauces. He’s got a beer in the crook of one hand and is using his other to playfully punch my brother when he gets in the way. Vlad looks happy; he’s got drinks, food, people, and is watching live music in the corner. My boyfriend Nathan and one of his friends are strumming away, making music that has no name. They’re in their own bubble and some people watch. Some people don’t take the moment to notice.
I have a third sister in town as well. Unintentionally, SauceGiving became a family affair. She’s wrapped up in my soft green blanket, oblivious to the world. My sister is entertaining two men; her fiance and my upstairs neighbor, Richard. I bumped into Richard the other day and forgot to slip an invite into his mailbox. He came anyway. I’m sure they’re wrapped in a conversation about life in the Netherlands because that’s all she likes to talk about. Or her upcoming wedding.
A Dutch guy joins their little group. I met Thomas back in April. He’s staying at my house this Friday night. I'm worried he won’t be comfortable with so much family around. He knew what he was getting into though. I see him making his way around the room. Thomas has something to talk about with everyone. He’s chatting about Japanese yokai and growing his newsletter while helping clean up after guests. Across the room, Christal and Simon are making a small mess. They’ve brought a blender, pineapple, and coconut milk. Maybe they think Pina coladas are a sort of sauce too.
In the corner of my eye, I catch my friend Yannick observing the room. He’s standing in the kitchen, between the window and pots of warming sauces, sipping on something fermented. Don’t tell the guests but he brought the best sauce. It’s a little sour, filled with meatballs, endives and some cherry beer. Since the party ended I’ve eaten it cold 3 times. Yannick’s two friends brought a different treat. A pair of homemade curries are bubbling on the stove. Both made with love, down to the fish balls and Thai hot sauce. For a moment, I regret making the party about multiple dishes. So many nice foods are drowning out each individual sauce.
It's getting late. Sofia comes up to me. She boxes twice a week at my gym. She tells me that her son Adam made the tzatziki on his own. He used a YouTube video while she was at work. She tells me thanks for the great night, the great food, but best of all, the great people around. I realize the night might be called SauceGiving, but it’s about appreciating the 17 people there. They’re the ones making the night great.
I loved reading this and reliving the night through your eyes. This idea of personalized memories works super well. Also had a blast, thanks for the invite, for making me a character in your story haha and was lovely meeting your family!
Dude! What was the best sauce?