Brussels Sprouts and Blue Cheese

"Are those ..." M can hardly say the word.
"Brussels sprouts," I finish his sentence for him. "Yes, they are brussels sprouts." M wrinkles his nose and creases his face with a frown. "You'll like them well enough," I decide for him.

M looks more closely at the noxious vegetable smothered in cream sauce (see Mediterranean Green Beans December 2009).
"There are brussels sprouts for Africa!"
"You'll like them. I tried a new recipe with blue cheese."
Now if there is something M likes it is blue cheese. I spoon the little mounds on to the dinner plate, next to the Chateaubriand steak, mushroom rice and warm beetroot in olive oil, flavoured with sea salt.

The cream sauce swims on to the plate. Hmmm - not thick enough. But it's not like I don't know why. The recipe called for double cream and I skimped, using a smidgen of double cream and a lot more regular cream. Double cream is trés chère (French for 'bloody expensive') and I wasn't about to dump it all on the brussels sprouts. Nope we need some for our tea with scones and strawberry jam this weekend.

Wisdom from Em and Julia Child saves my ego. Em has always told me not to aim for perfection with cooking and entertaining. And Julia Child advised never to apologise for your cooking to your guests. To do that is just plain pathetic according to her. So, with no apologies to hubby for the swimming cream sauce or brussels sprouts, I set the plate down on the table.

Actually, it's not too bad. And the cream works well as a sauce for the steak and rice.
"You don't have to eat anymore of the brussels sprouts," I concede. "I'll eat them."
"No, they are quite good." M surprises me. "I like the blue cheese."
"Well, then I'll add more blue cheese for you when we eat the leftovers."

Brussels sprouts and blue cheese: a picture of the give and take of living life together.