Eating With Friends 2

"I must get out of these wet clothes and into a dry Martini." Robert Benchley


It's Friday, and it is pouring. But T & G will be here for dinner like clockwork. You see, there is a Martini calling our names, and there is pizza.

I can't say exactly when our Friday night Martinis and pizza became a ritual; but we've been enjoying both together on Friday nights for quite some time.

When my husband gets home from work, he puts the vodka in the freezer. He thoughtfully selects four glass from our large collection of unusual Martini glasses; he chills the glasses and skewers the olives.

All the while, I am patting out the pizza dough; assembling the toppings for the pies; and heating the pizza stone.

T & G arrive, J shakes the Martinis until his hand freezes, he pours and we toast to the end of another week before we sip the perfect Martini. And then we talk and talk about everything. Mostly now we talk about politics. I'm not sure if we rant because we are drinking Martinis or we drink Martinis because of what we rant about.

Then comes the pizza and we talk some more. At the end of most of these evenings T suggests we change our gathering from Friday night because we are all so tired at the end of the week. We all nod and know that next Friday night we'll be around the same table again.

Here is the perfect bite to go with your Martini whether it is made with vodka or gin.

FRIED GREEN OLIVES by Biba Caggiano

30 large Italian-style green olives
1 cup all-purpose flour spread on waxed paper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup plain breadcrumbs mixed with 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
spread on waxed paper
Vegetable oil for frying

Roll the olives in the flour, dip them in the eggs, then coat them with the breadcrumb mixture.
Heat one inch of oil in medium-size skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, fry a handful of olives at a time until they are lightly golden. Remove the olives with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and serve warm. Serves 6


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