Earlier this week I was tasked with making lamb stew for a "first century dinner" that I was attending. Lamb is not something I normally cook. And now I know why. That shit smells STANK when it's uncooked. I found it unpleasant to work with. My wife spent the day feeling like she wanted to vomit. Even after cooking it for six hours I didn't even want to taste it.

A friend helped me rescue the dish by suggesting that I add a red wine reduction simmered with rosemary. That helped, and several people at the table liked it enough to have second helpings. I didn't. And as an Italian grandmother I find nothing more problematic than failing at feeding people.

I won't be volunteering for this thing again next year. Eeewwww. ("...and I thought they smelled bad on the outside!")