fridays at five: life is meals

By Janine Cheviot

James Salter began a recent Fridays at Five lecture with "I've had some second thoughts about this book lately." The author and PEN/Faulkner award winner was referring to Life is Meals: A Food Lover's Book of Days, a joint literary effort with his wife Kay. He was standing at a lectern on the rear lawn facing 50 people, sitting in chairs on the lawn in front of him, and they smiled anxiously waiting for an explanation. He continued by clarifying that the book is often mistakenly labeled as a cookbook and that he and his wife have been called "foodies" - both slightly false accusations.

Although there are about 40 recipes scattered throughout, the book covers a wide variety of subjects including literature, sex, the history of certain foods and practical information. Ms. Salter, a journalist and playwright, explained that the book is intended to have wine and gravy stains and to be a companion. "Read it day by day," she said. "Or all at once like an English toffee," Mr. Salter interjected. "Or to each other," Ms. Salter affirmed warmly. There is an entry for each day of the year - recipes, memories, hints, history, ideas - all collected from the Salter's 30 years as cooking companions.

Before the lecture continued, Mr. Salter asked, "Can you hear in the back?" After a collective nod from the audience, the Salters began to share their background, often finishing each other's sentences, and radiating a certain charm that endeared the audience. The Sag Harbor residents who also live in Aspen, Colorado, recalled their natural transition from amateur cooks to dinner party extraordinaires. "We would be on the ski lift or walking through town and ask others to come have dinner with us," Ms. Salter remembered. Neither had much cooking experience, but the couple would follow recipes and over the years their skills evolved. Mr. Salter recalled a kitchen conversation he had with his wife early in their relationship. He asked her if she liked carrots. "I've never been there," she responded. "This is going to work out," he thought.

"Eating and talking about things is one of the central components of life," Mr. Salter passionately conveyed to the audience. For the Salters, life actually is meals. The couple has thrown over 1,500 dinner parties, ranging anywhere from buffets to parties for 6-8 people, cooking back-to-back or side-to-side with each other to prepare for them all.

Over the years, the Salters collected stories and made notes in what they called "the dinner book" - a notebook that consisted of details about each dinner party they threw including what was served, who came, what they said, dietary restrictions of the guests and the "never together" list (guests that should never be at the same dinner table together). "Not all dinners are triumphs," Mr. Salter assured, "But serving alcohol usually helps."

The Salters each read many of their favorite entries from the book to the audience. One of Ms. Salter's favorites was July 8 titled "Year of Eating," which refers to the trial period of marriage in ancient Egypt, in which after one year of marriage the couple either parted or continued their relationship. This trial period was called "Year of Eating" because it was assumed that the couple would spend more waking hours at the table than in bed, which tested their true compatibility.

Mr. Salter's shared June 21 titled "Learned Hand," a short essay describing the perfect day of a great American judge, which included, of course, "a magnificent dinner and conversation with the most brilliant and glorious figures in history." The book also gives advice on how to become a regular in a restaurant "Loyalty is more important than frequency," Mr. Salter noted.

Then, it started to rain, and the lecture was moved indoors. A backroom in the Hampton Library provided an intimate setting for the Q&A portion. The Salters were asked how they deal with those that are not invited to their dinner parties feeling excluded. "We're not in that league," Mr. Salter said. "We're very informal. We're more Italian than French," Kay added. By request, the couple read several more entries, occasionally borrowing reading glasses from audience members.

Another question asked was if the Salters ever cooked for a famous chef. The couple quickly referred to October 17 titled "Craig Claiborne" - an entry devoted to a time when they prepared lunch for The New York Times food critic and cookbook writer. This meal entailed something they had never done before - a trial run. The Salters prepared the entire meal the day before to make sure everything was perfect. The lunch was a success and the Salters shared anecdotes from the get together with the audience, including Mr. Claiborne's gratitude due to the lack of invitations he receives because of his occupation.

When the lecture ended James asked, "So what do you think?"

The audience applauded with enthusiasm.

"Our local reputation is that we are thought to be wonderful cooks," Mr. Salter said slightly perplexed, "but who is in the chair is more important that what is on the table."

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