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Puffed Pastry

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

⅔ cup soft shortening

1 large egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons milk

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening. Mix in egg mixture lightly. Chill for 1 hour.

Gazpacho

SERVES 6 TO 8

½ clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 ½ cups cold water

4 tomatoes, diced

2 cups canned tomato juice, chilled

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 cucumber, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

½ cup bread croutons

Blend garlic, salt, oil, vinegar, and water. Add tomatoes and tomato juice. Serve bell pepper, onion, cucumber, celery, and croutons on the side. Each person can choose veggies and croutons as desired.

Petit Pois

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 pound fresh small green peas

2 cups chicken stock or water

½ pound cooked pearl onions

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup cold milk

In small, heavy pot, cook peas in stock over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add onions and cook another 5 minutes. Drain.

Season peas and onions with salt and pepper and butter. Mix flour with milk, then add to peas and onions, stirring quickly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. If cream sauce is too thick, add water to desired thinness.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

SERVES 4

4 large Idaho baking potatoes

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

4 green onions (white and green parts), minced

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter

Salt and freshly ground black pep-per, to taste

½ cup grated white cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Scrub and pat dry potatoes, and grease with oil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and increase oven temperature to 375°F.

When potatoes have cooled, cut lengthwise, and scrape center from potatoes carefully, leaving ⅛ inch so that walls of potatoes will not collapse. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl, and mash with potatoes. Divide mashed potatoes equally among shells. Bake for 30 minutes.

Haricots Verts

SERVES 6

2 pounds thin green beans

½ teaspoon salt

3 quarts water

Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Cook beans over medium heat in salted water until crispy tender. Drain well, cool, and pour Vinaigrette over beans.

Vinaigrette

MAKES 1½ CUPS

½ cup water

1 cup cider vinegar

½ teaspoon dried tarragon

½ teaspoon dried thyme

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt, to taste

Bring water to boil. Add vinegar to water and scald for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool. Add dried herbs, olive oil, and garlic, and season with salt.

ROSA GUY AND I BECAME GOOD FRIENDS in New York City during the late 1950s. She was Trinidadian-born and brought to the United States when she was seven years old. I had been born in Missouri and raised everywhere. Still, we had much in common. We were nearly the same age, enjoyed music, food, dancing, and relished the company of high-spirited men. We were both good cooks and admired each other’s skills. She was a founding member of the Harlem Writers Guild, and because I also belonged to the association some other members tried to set up a cooking competition between us. We refused to be drawn into such an unproductive use of energy.

Rosa told me that Trinidadians make and eat souse during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. I told her that people in Stamps, Arkansas, where I grew up, do the same. She always invited friends to celebrate Thanksgiving at her house but now suggested that we might like to do New Year’s at my apartment. She and I would both make souse to help celebrate. We would eat and then go to Central Park to drink champagne and watch fireworks.

New Year’s Eve bloomed and Rosa arrived early with her souse. I confess to being a little nervous. My grandmother was the best cook I had ever known and I had used her recipe. Rosa set