The Night the Lights Went Out

I have an awesome job. I get paid to cook delicious and exciting food for delicious and exciting people. I get to see some of the coolest kitchens in NYC and I get to cook in them. I run into challenges all the time. Usually the "challenges" have to do with missing food or equipment, something spilled or mis-measured etc, etc. But Saturday night was the first time I've ever been cooking and had the electricity go out.

It was a fabulous night. A fabulous apartment in Manhattan owned by a fabulous couple. Everything in the apartment was new. The oven had never even been used. (They have a separate microwave/convection oven/espresso/coffee machine combo deal that meets all their needs. Um, it would fit mine too.) and they were having me (and my handsome assistant) cook for a housewarming/dinner party. Here's the menu:

Mashed Potato, Lamb Sausage and Mozzarella Spring Rolls with Chili Mayo
Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings with Marinara Sauce
Arugula, Fennel, Gorgonzola and Walnut Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil
Fillet Mignon and Gooseberry-Glazed Salmon with Fingerling Potato Salad and Wilted Spinach with Goat Cheese, Fresh Peas and Pomegranate Seeds
Crispy Fried Chocolate-Hazelnut Ravioli

These people had amazing wines, great friends, and lots to talk about. They were having a great time and so were we. The Yankees game had been canceled because of the thunder storm so everyone could concentrate on each other rather than Derek Jeter (whom men admire and women adore).

Everything was going swimmingly. The appetizers had been devoured, the salad had been consumed, and the entrees had just landed on the table. A toast had been made and everyone picked up their forks and then... all the lights and the ovens went out. What the...?

We still had to make dessert, but luckily our dessert only required use of the stove, which was gas. But, oops! The pilots were electric. The stove wouldn't light. So I sent my handsome assistant down to the store to get some crackers so we could spoon Nutella on them and make it fly as a dessert. Good thinking Kendra. Brilliant. You're so smart it kills me. What? You mean, oh, um, do you have some matches? I guess I could light the stove that way. ha ha...?

So after the measly crackers and Nutella had been served and consumed, I started on the real dessert. The host was working on the electricity situation the entire time, trying desperately to figure out what the heck was going on. A few of the men even trekked down to the basement together to try and assess the situation, but to no avail. The electricity was only out in their apartment and not in the rest of the building, so we assumed it had something to do with all the newness of the appliances and the fact that both ovens were on at the same time... who knows. I'm sure they got it fixed eventually.

But the rest of the time we were there, making fried Nutella wontons in the dark and packing up our stuff to head home, the lights were still out. At some point the host settled down to enjoy the dessert, which I was glad about. Everyone was still having a great time in the faint glow of a few carefully placed candles. It was sorta romantic. I don't think any of those people had been to a dinner party quite like that before. They ate their entire entrees by some serious candlelight. Cool. I just feel lucky it happened after the entrees were on the table. I kinda felt like I was practicing for Top Chef.

In the end, the night was altogether amazing, and one I won't soon forget. And now I know how to fry things in the dark.

Photo: Food Network