A couple years ago, before I was vegan, I had a dinner party in my little apartment, bringing together people who previously had not known each other but who I knew would get along. It was a very adult thing to do; at least I felt adult doing it. I cooked all day, the windows open to let in the cool autumn air. Before anyone arrived, my decades-old green table with spots of bare wood sticking through the paint was adorned with serving platters, a gravy boat and plenty of food. I set a jazz Pandora station to play on my iPad at just the right level. I made sure to finish the cooking before anyone arrived, so I could spend my time as a gracious hostess. My heart beat fast as I waited for my guests to arrive, people I'd known for years.
There were only five people, including myself, and the apartment was crammed. I almost did not have to get up to bring the dishes from the stove to the table. Some people were in chairs, others were on the two-person couch. Still a few months from meeting my beau, I sat among the two married couples and enjoyed abundant conversation between kindly minds.
The only dinner party rule I broke was probably the biggest and one I still break often without remorse -- I served dishes I had never made before. I hosted the party to have a fun grownup meeting, yes, but also so I could try something new. There was pumpkin, sweet potato and apple cider. The spices of fall abounded, and every dish was a hit.
I look back on that evening so fondly as a moment of Amanda growing into herself, throwing a party with married couples in her very own, no-roommates apartment. The dishes were an important part of that evening, and so I knew I had to veganize the Pumpkin Pasta dish. Last weekend, I served it in the very same apartment, on the very same table, in the company of my beau, and the cycle felt complete.
Here, it is, veganized, with mushrooms and a little cheat to it.
