Tagliatelle al Cappesante con Basilico

Mid-autumn Fest is a big day for family and romance in this part of the world. Spare the romance, this year it is strictly a family affair for me. Mum, dad, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews. All sit around, drinking tea, eating mooncakes, spending time with the moon. I can't possibly be alone, can I?

The fest actually started last weekend. Two great friends/neighbours, Tracey and Linux, first came for dinner. They come around quite often for tea or casual dining. But this time it was a little more serious. We're all crazy about crabs. So I made a big one. But this blog has been stuffed with crabs of late. I have decided to save it for a better slot.

Then came another great friend, Laimun. She brought along a beautiful bottle of Aussie white, all the way from Melbourne (technically the wine is a Margaret River's chardonnay from Western Australia). Unfortunately it wasn't chilled. I decided to keep it for the next occasion and settled ourselves with something less glamorous. Still, I reckon I was drinking too much. I was making tagliatelle with prawns and sadly it didn’t turn out well, not even on photos. So, I’m not gonna show it here either.

What am I left with? Myself and a bunch of basil...

I'm gonna name here another great friend/neighbour. She is unequivocally my lifeline in the last couple of years. Without her my life would have been miserable, unexciting and hopelessly tasteless. That beautiful basil that has appeared here not long ago was a masterpiece from Johanna! Yes, she grows basil. And she grows it on organic soil! Well, not just Johanna alone, I should say. The legendary GM5 is also part of the team. But, if GM5 were a gifted amateur, Johanna would be a pair of hands sent from God! (Sorry, GM5.)

Okay, enough said… I'm left with myself and a bunch of basil, freshly cut during the weekend… Let me tell you, this is the time when minimalist spirits are at their best.

To be continued…