Champagne, sushi, and guacamole

"Come over and we will talk about wedding flowers," Halani tells me. I am so happy to oblige, not only because I am a sucker for flowers, but because Halani is simply amazing company, and I don't see nearly enough of her. Then she says, "I have a bottle of champagne in my fridge, we should drink it!"

As if I had needed any convincing in the first place. I am so there.

So Halani and I spent last night having a little girl time in her beautifully appointed apartment, literally down the street from the flower shop where I used to work for her. The store is gone now, replaced by some boutique that sells dresses and overpriced handbags, and I believe the neighborhood is worse for it. But some things never change, and tonight, like all of those afternoons and evenings spent arranging flowers, drinking wine, and nibbling on whatever we happened to be in the mood for, we have created a truly lovely, if somewhat unorthodox spread.

Two different types of sushi, picked up most likely from the same place we used to get sushi when the shop was still open. And GIANT fresh spring rolls with spicy dipping sauce, which were tasty, but so big that it took us forever to get up the nerve to even attempt to eat them, and then when we did they fell apart and spread lettuce and shrimp and spicy saucy goodness everywhere. Then, because we can't stick with a theme (and really, who wants to choose?) a spread of goat cheeses on baguette. I particularly like The black pepper goat cheese--just enough spice to cut all that creamy softness. There was a big bowl of fresh strawberries (Heaven! And on a gorgeous spring evening! Perfect.) And Halani and I both had champagne with strawberries in the glass. And if there is anything more decadent in the world than champagne with strawberries, I probably shouldn't know about it, or I might die from sheer excess of fabulousness.

Last but not least, at Halani's request, I brought along the homemade guacamole that became a bit of a store favorite while we were still working together. The key is picking avocados at the absolute right moment, and that can't be done unless you get really hands on with them in the store. Look for the darkest skins, and don't even bother with the bright green avocados. They will only disappoint you. Pick only the ones that give just a little bit in your hand, like butter at room temperature, and when you mash the avocados, make sure not to macerate them to a slimy, gooey mess. Leave the whole thing just a little chunky, and nobody will ever tell you they don't eat guacamole, "because it's a texture thing."

Guacamole:

3 perfectly ripe avocados

1/2 yellow onion

1-2 small plum tomatoes

a dollop of sour cream or mayonnaise

a pinch or two of cilantro (optional)

Juice of 1 lime

Salt

Fresh black pepper

Cumin

Tobasco

Dice the avocados and place in a bowl. Add lime juice, salt, pepper, tobasco and spices, and just a tiny bit of sour cream of mayonnaise. Use a fork to mash the avocados and spices until the liquid is evenly distributed and the avocado is just a little chunky. Coarsely chop the onion and tomato and fold them into the avocado mix. Adding the onion and tomato after you've mashed the avocado helps to keep the tomato chunky rather than mushy, and makes all the difference to the texture. Add finely chopped cilantro if desired. Taste, and taste again to check the spiciness and make any adjustments as needed.