Last night I cashed in on a lottery of sorts. My friend Megan won a pair of seats to a dinner party fundraiser at the home of best-selling cookbook author and New York Times columnist Mark Bittman. The rest of the plates were going for near $300 a piece—Marie Antoinette quality, price- fare. And, the dear thing took me. I thought if there were any a time I should eat meat it would be then. So I tasted the pork. If that means I’m not a vegetarian any longer, so be it—I’m not much of one for names, but no more meat. Let that the last morsel of pig that touch my lips be the tender flesh lovingly prepared by the hands of that skilled man.

On a similar note, a pair of friends of mine wed each other a couple weekends back. For their wedding gift I ordered them this wonderful cookbook called “The Soul Of A New Cuisine.” It contains African recipes compiled by this Ethiopian born Swedish raised turned New York City chef, Marcus Samuelsson. As is often the case with my gift purchasing, I buy something for someone else because I like it, then, I want it. So I photocopied about half the book before I’m to give it up. So many recipes with limes and ginger, plantains, and such an array of spices—peanut butter at the base of soup and pomegranate seeds boiled into rice. I’ll let you know how my efforts turn out. If I hit upon a really good one, I’ll be sure to pass it along.