FOOD FOR THOUGHT

“Wow!” was all DiDi could think of to say walking into Chris Egan’s studio loft-apartment. "Is this YOUR work?"

“Yep.”

“I had no idea… how long have you been hiding all this talent?!”

“Thanks,” said Chris modestly, “actually, I haven’t been doing it very long… at least, I haven’t been taking it seriously for that long.”

“Don’t be humble, girl! Your stuff is incredible!!! And trust me, I don’t blow smoke,” said DiDi.

“Oh, trust me, I know,” said Chris with a wry chuckle.

Chris and DiDi had had their issues over the years, particularly when DiDi had been a criminal defense attorney and Chris was a detective partnered with her husband, Calvin.

Chris had harbored more than a little resentment over DiDi “gettin’ the bad guys off.” While DiDi had entertained a wee bit of jealousy about how much time Chris got to spend with her husband; that the two of them worked on the same side of the law… and that catching the (alleged) bad guys was a lot sexier and a bigger adrenalin rush than getting them out of jail.

Although there had never been any acrimony between Chris and DiDi, their relationship did become more genial once DiDi started working in the DA’s office, but even then she’d thought of Chris as more Calvin’s friend than hers. The two women had not socialized that much over the years, at least not without Calvin.

DiDi’s relationship with Mitzi, however, was another story. Though seemingly an unlikely pairing, Mitzi and DiDi had become fast friends almost immediately upon moving in together. What had been born out of financial necessity had grown into an abiding kinship. DiDi was glad that Cliff and Mitzi had decided to move back to Monticello…and that Chris had made the overture to pursue a relationship with her after Calvin’s death.

A suddenly knock on the door broke DiDi out of her reverie. It was Mitzi.

“Obviously you did more than just go feed the parking meter,” said DiDi, eyeing Mitzi’s parcels.

“I thought a nice, crusty loaf of French bread would go well with Chris’s chicken salad,” said Mitzi. “Then I thought a nice, chilled bottle of Chardonnay would go well with the crusty French bread. Then I thought a nice crisp apple tart would go well with finishing off the Chardonnay… especially if we warm it up and top it with some vanilla ice cream!”

“Perfect,” said Chris, setting her beautifully prepared chicken salad on the table, “let me go get a wine opener.”

“Allow me,” said Mitzi, pulling one out of her purse.

Chris and DiDi burst into laughter.

“What‘s so funny?” questioned Mitzi. “I simply believe in being prepared!”

“Un-hunh…so what else have you got in there?” asked Chris.

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” teased Mitzi.

“Chris, your salad looks almost too beautiful to eat,” said DiDi admiringly.

“Well, I like my food like I like my paintings,” replied Chris thoughtfully, “vibrant and energizing.”

“Sounds like a pretty good recipe for friendship, as well,” said DiDi.

“Hey, I’ll drink to that!” said Mitzi, raising her glass in a toast.

“Here..here!” said Chris, raising her glass, “…to friendship!”

“Yes, right here!” chimed in DiDi, raising her glass, “a toast to an amazing feast for the eyes, for the belly…and most importantly, for the soul.”

“Cheers!” exclaimed the three women in unison.”

“Great…now let’s eat,” said Mitzi, “‘cause I’m starving!”

Despite feeling a few twinges of hunger herself, DiDi couldn’t help but thinking that right at this moment her heart was feeling very, very full.

* * *

CHRIS EGAN’S FESTIVE CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD

1 prepared roasted chicken boned, skinned and cubed

1 stalk celery, diced

2 whole scallions chopped

2 medium granny smith apples - peeled, cored and diced

½ cup golden raisins

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup toasted pecan pieces

¼ cup toasted walnut pieces

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper (or to taste)

¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (or to taste)

3 teaspoons curry powder (or to taste)

1 ½ cups light mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup red grapes, halved

1 cup mandarin oranges

½ red pepper, finely julienned

Pick up a prepared broiled chicken from the supermarket and refrigerate for at least an hour. Remove bones and skin. Cube and toss with mayonnaise and curry powder in a large bowl. Fold in celery, onion, raisins, cranberry, pecans and walnuts. Toss apples in lemon juice, sugar, pepper and salt and fold into chicken salad. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till ready to use. Serve on individual plates of mixed greens tossed with crisp red grapes (halved) and a light vinaigrette. Garnish with mandarin oranges and red pepper

***
Mariann Aalda played DiDi Bannister-Stoner on Edge of Night from 1981 to its final episode on December 28, 1984. She also played Grace Battles on Guiding Light and Lena Hart on Sunset Beach on daytime and starred in the primetime series The Royal Family and First & 10 and recurred or guest-starred on such shows as Designing Women, Grace Under Fire and The Parkers, among others. With a penchant for comedy, she's also done stand-up in clubs across the country and is the co-creator of M.O.I.S.T.! -- the "sex-istential" comedy-with-music celebrating the seasoned woman -- which she co-wrote/produced/performs with Iona Morris (ex-Fiona Griffin, As The World Turns).