Frank said, “Sure. It’s nice down here. I’ll be down here if you need me.”
“Isn’t he beautiful?” she said.
“What’d you expect? He’s ours.”
That’s when she woke up.
Angelina and Francis watched Miracle on 34th Street, which Angelina was seeing for the hundredth time and Francis, the first. She cried at the scene when Kris Kringle spoke Dutch to the little orphan girl, and Francis cried when it was time for lunch. She fed him Gerber’s and Cheerios, and she had a grilled-cheese-and-tomato sandwich. Angelina had absolutely nothing planned for dinner, which was a situation she hadn’t found herself in for ages, and she found it strangely liberating. She figured that she would throw something simple together later in the day, then pack up around sixish with the baby and head to Tina and Johnny’s down the street for a yuletide visit with Francis’s grandma and the folks.
Bing Crosby was crooning in the background as they were sitting on the floor in the early afternoon, opening the last of the packages, when the doorbell rang.
Angelina looked up, and through the curtains she could just make out the shape of a man, carrying a box of some kind in his hands.
She sat up and wondered if Basil had sent poor Guy to her house on another mercy mission. Or maybe it was Basil himself, coming to invite her over one last time.
“Oh, my goodness, who could that be?” she whispered to Francis. “It could be Santa coming back for more cookies! Come on, let’s go see.”
She scooped him up in her arms, and they rushed over and opened the door.
“Jerry! What are you doing here?”
Jerry looked around, pretending he was checking that he’d come to the right address. He had a wrapped present under each arm, and in his hands he held a large, covered Pyrex dish. He smiled and one of the packages started to slip. Angelina maneuvered a free hand and helped shove it back under his arm.
“It’s Christmas! Um, so I decided to come and see you. And the baby.”
Angelina just smiled back and waited for him to continue.
“I was talking to a mutual friend of ours … and I heard you two were over here all by yourselves on Christmas Day. And I had some presents for you anyway, so … here I am!”
Angelina laughed. “Come on in,” Angelina said. “Francis, look who’s here!”
Jerry came in and dropped the presents on the couch from under his arms one at a time, then turned to face Angelina. “I’d have been here sooner, but …” He sheepishly held up the Pyrex.
“What’s in the dish?” asked Angelina, genuinely curious.
“I didn’t think you should have to cook on Christmas Day, so I made something.”
If he had wanted to, Jerry could have knocked Angelina over with a string of tinsel.
“You made?”
“Yeah. Don’t be scared.”
Suddenly, she couldn’t wait to get a peek under the lid. “What is it?”
“Stracotto. Italian Pot Roast. I found my mom’s recipe and I’ve been cooking since early this morning. Came out pretty good. I think.”
Angelina shifted Francis into the crook of her arm and leaned in as Jerry lifted the lid to show her. She looked inside, breathed in deeply, tasted the sauce with her finger, then started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“You made this?” she asked in wide-eyed disbelief.
“Yeah.”
“It’s perfect.”
“You don’t have to act so surprised.”
Now all three of them were laughing. They shifted their respective loads, and Angelina ended up with the dish and Jerry ended up with the baby. She stood there for a long moment, watching him make faces at Francis, and looked him over thoroughly, up and down and up again.
“Thank you very much for the stracotto,” said Angelina. “I just don’t know what to say. I am so glad you came over. Look at you. You look different somehow.” He just shrugged, took off his jacket and took Francis over to the couch. Angelina shook her head and looked back at him over her shoulder again as she took the dish into the kitchen. A minute later, she returned carrying a bottle of red and two glasses.
“Let’s celebrate,” Angelina said.
“Celebrate what?”
“Christmas. And you know what? I’m pretty sure this is the first time you’ve ever been here on your own. For a visit, I mean.”
Jerry thought for a minute. “No. Really?”
Angelina smiled. “I’m pretty sure.” She popped the cork and poured.
Jerry sat on the sofa with Francis settled comfortably in his lap. They looked nice together, thought Angelina, like old pals. She sat next to them. Their glasses sounded a clear, crystal-sweet note when they touched them together and both said “Merry Christmas,” simultaneously.
“You want to open your presents?” asked Jerry.
“No, I just want to sit here for a minute.” Then, after a few seconds of silence, finally, it dawned on her.
“That’s it.”
“That’s what?”
“The tie. You’re wearing a tie.”
Jerry was as nonchalant as he could be, and acted as if they’d both only just noticed it at the same time. “Oh, this? How about that? I came from church, is all.”
“Oh, from church? Really?”
He grinned. “Come on, it’s Christmas! And I know you’ve got this thing about ties, so …”
“I’m just saying, it’s a very nice tie. How about some music?”
Jerry lifted the baby to face him and gave him a little wiggle. “Whaddya say, Francis? How about some music?”
Just outside and across the street, Guy closed the front door behind him. He’d just said his good-byes to Basil and Dottie, who were both genuinely happy for him and the decision he had made. Guy stopped and looked toward Angelina’s house, where he could see in through the front window. He saw Francis bobbing up and down and laughing, and the top of Jerry’s head.
He pulled the scarf up around his priestly collar, tipped his steamer trunk back on its wheels, and rolled off toward the bus stop. Guy wasn’t very good at taking advice, but he was pretty good at giving it—and he was glad to see that Jerry had taken his.
Inside, Angelina put her favorite Christmas record on the turntable, the one she had been saving for last, Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song. The record spun and she dropped the needle. Lush strains of piano and strings played, and that silky, sweet voice started singing, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire …”
Angelina turned and stood still and looked at Jerry, who had come right to her door on Christmas Day, who had cooked her dinner, and was sitting on her couch playing with her baby boy. Wearing a tie.
She hardly knew what to think.
It was like falling asleep next to the tree and waking up on Christmas morning. You never knew what you might see once you opened your eyes.
Angelina went back to the sofa and sat down. She kissed Francis on the head, but didn’t take him out of Jerry’s lap.
It would be just perfect, she thought, if snow started falling gently outside the window.
Oh, look, there it goes.
Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast)
* * *
Serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
3-to-4-pound beef round or rump roast
3 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed and sliced in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large white onion, diced
2 cups white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered
1½ cups dry red wine
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon fennel seed
6 medium potatoes (about 1½ to 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cubed
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, minced
METHOD
Rinse the roast to remove impurities and pat dry with paper towels. Make slits in the meat and firmly insert the garlic cloves. Mix together the oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper and, using a mortar and pestle, pulverize to a powder. Rub the herb mixture into the meat.
Heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a sauté pan that is 4-quarts or larger. When the oil begins to shimmer, sear the meat on all sides, leaving each side undisturbed for about 3 minutes to allow the seasonings to integrate into the surface of the meat and to prevent the flesh from tearing. When the roast has been browned on all sides, temporarily transfer it to a utility platter.
Add the remaining oil to the same pan over medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, sauté the onion until it turns translucent, stirring frequently to prevent burning, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté them until they give up their juices, about 7 minutes. Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of the red wine and allow most of it to evaporate. Then, add the carrots, celery, and bay leaves, and stir in the tomato paste. Add the beef stock, tomatoes, celery seed, fennel seed, and the rest of the wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Return the meat to the pan, reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and let cook slowly until the meat is fork tender, but still intact, about 2 to 2½ hours.
In the last 20 minutes of cooking time, peel the potatoes and slice them into ¼-inch-thick slices into the pot. Cover and cook until tender.
Remove the meat to a platter. Discard the bay leaves and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes to the same platter. Cover to keep warm and let rest.
Pour the cooking liquids into a clear heatproof container, such as a Pyrex measuring container, and refresh the pan. Spoon or pour off any layer of fat that forms at the top of the cooking juices and strain what remains back into the pan to make a sauce. Over medium-high heat, reduce the juices to about 1 cup of liquid, about 5 to 8 minutes. Just before serving, remove the sauce from the heat and gradually whisk in the butter, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
PRESENTATION
Slice the roast into ¾-to-1-inch-thick slices using a sharp knife. Spoon about ½ cup potatoes into the center of each serving plate and top with a slice of meat and some carrots and celery. Spoon some of the sauce over and sprinkle with parsley leaves.
Index of Recipes
PAGE
10 Frangelico Chocolate “Dream” Cake
43Stracciatella (Roman Egg Drop Soup)
69 Aubergine Napoleons
85 Lasagna Provençal
94 Eggs Benedict Florentine
112 Veal Braciole with Piccata Sauce
126 Mint Sweet Potato Bisque
127 Cherry Pear Pie
145 Lavender-Spiced Leg of Lamb and Ratatouille Frittata
153 Osso Buco with Egg Noodles and Capers
180 Marinated Unagi over Arborio Rice Patties
183 Caesar Salad with Batter-Dipped Smelts
210 Boston Custard Puff-Pastry Pie
234 Philadelphia Tea Sandwiches
245 Caraway-Sage Chicken-Pork Sausages with Braised Cabbage in Individual Boules
268 Veal Medallions with Butternut Squash Ravioli
309 Flan with Sauternes Caramel
312 Sweet Corn Bisque with Crab “Soufflé”
314 Filet Mignon in a Grand Marnier Reduction with Chestnut Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans Amandine
333 Gorgonzola Beef Tenderloin in a Barolo Reduction
335 Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with a Cointreau Glaze and Cranberries
337 Toasted-Nut Chicken Breasts with Dried-Fruit Wild Rice and Amaretto Sauce
353 Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast)
Acknowledgments
THE AUTHORS WOULD like to thank Lucinda Blumenfeld, Tricia Boczkowski, Kate Dresser, Stephen Boldt, Ayelet Gruenspecht, Dana Sloan, and Alexandra Lewis for working to make this book a reality. Virginia would like to acknowledge the tutelage and guidance of the professional chefs she’s worked with over the years, especially David, George & George, and Robert. She sends her thanks to her godmothers and grandmothers for having generously shared their extensive culinary knowledge and expertise with a little girl eager to learn to cook. Our appreciation is also extended to Michel Richard, Cat Cora, Paula Deen, and Ming Tsai.
Introduction
WHEN ANGELINA finds herself suddenly widowed and jobless, she picks herself up the best way she knows how—by cooking. Her culinary pursuits catch the attention of retiree Basil, who has just moved in across the street from Angelina. Basil makes Angelina an offer she can’t refuse: he’ll pay her handsomely in return for preparing most of his meals. Angelina jumps at the chance to make some money doing what she loves, and soon expands her list of clientele to seven hungry bachelors. This disparate but charming group of men forms a protective circle around Angelina—providing her with a new kind of family.
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. In the beginning of the novel, Angelina states “…cooking was not just about food. It was about character.” (p. 2) what does she mean by this statement? How is it true throughout the book? how does food define her character?
2. Angelina is furious when Amy tries to pass off a store-bought cake as her own. Why does this anger her so much? How would you have reacted?
3. Family and community are extremely important to the characters in this novel. “In South Philly, the organizing principles were family, church, and neighborhood, in that order.” (p. 45) What are the “Organizing principles” in your life? Are they similar to Angelina’s?
4. Angelina turns to her passion for cooking as therapy after her husband dies. Do you have a hobby that has helped you through a tough time?
5. Basil is the one who initially proposes that Angelina cook for him. Were you surprised at his rather unique request?
6. Angelina learns to cook from her mother and other family members, and she in turn teaches Tina. Do you have any family cooking traditions? How did you learn to cook?
7. Think of your own relationship with food and cooking. Are there particular meals that elicit memories or strong emotional responses? What is your favorite “Comfort food”?
8. Angelina and Guy pay a spontaneous visit to a fortune-teller, who tells them “You may hold a new life in your hands.” (p. 174) what did you think she meant by that? Do you believe in fortune-telling?
9. Two momentous events happen on Christmas eve: Johnny proposes to Tina and Angelina discovers she is pregnant! which surprised you more? What did you think of Johnny’s proposal?
10. Basil tells Angelina about a book he has read, Cyrano de Bergerac. (pp. 206–207) Of its heroine he says, “So, by not choosing, she made her choice.” (p. 207) Do you see any parallels between Cyrano de Bergerac and Angelina’s Bachelors?
11. Look back over the chapter titles, which often include the names of food dishes and clever plays on words. Which is your favorite? why?
12. when Angelina is in labor, she thinks, “The only way to get to the other side of anything is to go through it.” (p. 255) Do you agree? How is this evident in the novel?
13. Angelina’s Bachelors features strong, independent women, such as Angelina, Gia, and Mrs. Cappuccio. Think about the gender roles in this novel. How are they traditional and how are they unconventional?
14. Compare and contrast Guy and Jerry. Which one do you think is a better match for Angelina? Who would you pick for her?
15. Angelina names her restaurant Il Primo Amore, after the italian saying meaning “The first love you never forget.” if you were to open a restaurant, what would you name it?
&n
bsp; Enhance Your Book Club
1. Have everyone in your group make a recipe from the book to bring to your meeting—make sure to coordinate main dishes and sides! Or gather in the kitchen and make a meal together.
2. Angelina’s tight-knit community frequently brings food to neighbors in times of trouble. Make an extra dish and take it to a neighbor or friend, or donate food and/or your time to a local food pantry or soup kitchen.
3. Angelina loves cooking to the music of Louis Prima. You can pick up his Greatest hits CD for under $10 online, or download a few tracks to get a feel for his exuberant and eclectic style—make sure to listen to his hit song “Angelina”!
4. Angelina and Guy visit a fortune-teller for fun one night. As a group visit a local fortune-teller, or use Tarot playing cards and an online guide to tell one another’s fortune yourselves.
5. Basil wants to “experience the artistic side of life” in his retirement. Reread his “bucket list” on pages 81 and 82 (reading epic poetry, going to museums, listening to opera, etc.), and pick one to do with your group. Do you have your own “bucket list”?
A Conversation with Brian O’Reilly
You collaborated with your wife, Virginia, for this novel. Tell us about your partnership. Did you come up with all the recipes? How did you choose which to include?
Angelina’s Bachelors was a true partnership. Roughly, the division of labor between virginia and me fell along the lines that I was primarily responsible for the writing, she for the recipes, but there was a lot of crossover, particularly since she provides much-needed feminine perspective. It’s probably fair to say that first and foremost I write for her—she reads everything before anyone else, usually as the chapters are being written, and I rely on her judgment implicitly. Her critiques and suggestions are inevitably spot-on. Her input was invaluable (as you might expect) in crafting the scene in which Angelina gives birth, for instance, and in charting the course of the complex and shifting relationship between Guy, Jerry, and Angelina. The name “Angelina” was virginia’s suggestion. In terms of the recipes, I often request a recipe for an element I feel I need from a literary or plotting standpoint (“… the most incredible cake ever made, please—and work Frangelico in there somehow”; or “an irresistible, seductive three-course dinner for two”; “oh, and a lasagna that changes a man’s life forever …”), that sort of thing; virginia makes them a reality. If I’m not looking for something specific, she just goes off and comes up with something wonderful and surprising that surpasses my wildest expectations (Aubergine napoleons, anyone?). She’s created a recipe for virtually everything mentioned in the book, and we chose which to use based on what made the most impact in context.
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