family gathering

With visiting kids and grandchildren we were nine at the dinner table last night. Everyone relaxed with guacamole, vibrant with just-harvested cilantro, before sitting down to dinner. Barbecued brisket, marinated the night before roasting with liquid smoke, garlic, onion and celery salt, then into the oven for five hours at a low temperature. Before cooking I seasoned with worcestershire, salt and pepper, and after four hours I poured barbecue sauce over the meat and cooked another hour. The entire house was permeated with wonderful aromas. With the meat there was potato salad, seasoned while warm with an herb vinaigrette, then mayo, sour cream and lots of fresh dill. A green bean salad and warm focaccia completed the array of dished served from the kitchen island. Dessert was blueberry pie - with vanilla ice cream of course. And lots of catching up - and laughs. This is as good as it gets.