When Her Weather Became Mine

My daughter’s birthday was yesterday.

At her request, I made eggplant parmesan.

On Saturday, I went to the farmers market, Costco, and Market Hall to gather everything I needed. On Sunday morning, my partner and I made tomato sauce, ricotta filling, Caesar dressing, and garlic bread. I fried slice after slice of eggplant and layered it with sauce, cheese, and fresh basil.

That afternoon, I went out to buy party hats and favors and pulled out photographs of my daughter as a child.

I wanted to make something beautiful for her.