By Book tour: third stop, Birmingham. Keisha's territory. She came to the reading — brought her mother, Mrs. Palmer, who sat in the front row and evaluated my cornbread-making with the intensity of a woman who has her own cast iron skillet and her own opinions. After the reading, Mrs. Palmer came up to me, shook my hand, and said, "Your cornbread is good. But I still don't understand why you won't put sugar in it." I said, "It's a religious conviction." She laughed. I signed her book: "For the woman whose son-in-law I may be raising. The barbecue beans are extraordinary."
Forty-five people in Birmingham. Sold twenty-eight books. The food blogger Cheryl was there — the one whose review was the first. She asked to do a longer interview for her blog. I said yes. The interview will run next month. The word is spreading the way good food spreads at a church potluck — plate to plate, hand to hand, "you have to try this."
At home, Zoe is finishing 11th grade next week. She's building her SCAD application portfolio — twelve pieces, each one stronger than the last. The Folgers can painting is the centerpiece. Her AP Art teacher says she's the strongest student he's had in fifteen years. Zoe heard this and said, "Cool." Cool. Seventeen and incapable of accepting a compliment. She gets this from Curtis, who responds to every good thing with "hm." The emotional restraint is genetic, apparently, even in families bound by table instead of blood.
Made crawfish boil Friday night — a Louisiana tradition I've adopted for summer, with corn, potatoes, sausage, crawfish, Old Bay, and newspapers spread on the table. The family ate with their hands. Curtis looked at the newspaper-covered table and said, "This is not dining." I said, "This is living." He ate crawfish for an hour. Living.
That Friday night crawfish boil reminded me that the best meals aren’t the ones you eat at a table with napkins — they’re the ones where everyone’s hands are full and nobody’s being careful. Curtis ate crawfish for an hour off a newspaper, which tells you everything you need to know about what the right meal can do to a person. When I do this again — and I will — these spicy asparagus spears are coming with it: fast, bold, and unapologetic, the way a summer spread should be.
Spicy Asparagus Spears
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Prepare asparagus. Rinse asparagus spears and pat dry. Snap or trim the woody ends — about 1 to 2 inches from the bottom.
- Season. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with minced garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss again to distribute seasonings.
- Roast. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the spears are tender with lightly crisped tips. Thinner spears will be done closer to 12 minutes; thicker ones may need the full 15.
- Finish and serve. Remove from oven and immediately drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Top with grated Parmesan if using. Serve hot, straight from the pan.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 95 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 280mg