Sundays with Sophie

Sundays with Sophie

Introduction

Sitting down to eat a meal on any Sunday is really satisfying to me, even before we start to eat. Whether it’s breakfast, brunch, or dinner, I have a pretty relaxed attitude because Sunday is usually a day of rest, at least on some level. I probably don’t have any appointments, Zoom meetings, or business calls scheduled. The only thing on my calendar is a date with my stove to cook some comforting dishes that will wind up at the center of my table. Even more important than the food are the people who will join me.

Cooking is my calling card. It’s the way I show my love and appreciation for the important people in my life. My daughter, Sophie, is without a doubt at the head of my table. She’s my only child, and I like to joke that her presence is mandatory, whether she likes it or not!

The title of this book might seem a little narrow at first blush. Don’t take it literally. It’s not just for one day of the week and it’s not just things I cook for Sophie. Sophie’s name graces the cover of this book because she is the person who is most important to me. But it is also a placeholder for all the people who are most important to you. And in this case, “Sunday” represents any day that calls for a table filled with delicious, easy-to-create dishes. It could be a holiday or party, the end of a tough week, or maybe it actually is Sunday dinner.

My family, friends, and close colleagues know that when I want to chat about something, I fire up my oven or my grill. If my goal is to capture people’s attention, I know if I have them gathered around a table filled with their favorite dishes, I have a good shot at accomplishing that.

It’s no secret that our complicated world has given us plenty to think about. Some people choose to have those conversations through social media or on other digital platforms. That’s not for me. My important conversations take place around the table, face-to-face with a plate full of food and glass or two of my favorite wine. There’s something old-school about it, and that’s what I love. My dining table is a safe forum where we can debate, agree, disagree, laugh, cry, and celebrate. It’s where my closest feel comfortable sharing their opinions and, personally, I’ve been enlightened when I didn’t think it was possible. I give the food all the credit for keeping everyone in their seats!

I was inspired to write this book when I reflected on the thousands of meals and conversations I’ve shared with Sophie over the years, in so many settings and locations around the world. The book is a product of real-life moments with just the two us, whether we’re sharing some good or troubling news, spilling family business, discussing our personal lives, or kicking around our career trials and tribulations. I cherish my close and honest relationship with my daughter. For the last twenty-five years or so, she’s been the inspiration I’ve leaned on to keep me working as hard as I can to ensure she has the tools she needs to have a good life.

Of course, as a proud father I’m beyond impressed with Sophie’s accomplishments, which are many, including her successful career as a community journalist in Los Angeles. But my favorite moments involve cooking and eating with her, because one thing we have in common is we’re always hungry! We have very similar palates and favorites. Neither of us has seen a fish with a shell we didn’t like, especially lobster, crab, shrimp, clams, and oysters. Hams, whether baked with a sweet and spicy glaze or cured in the style of Italy’s prosciutto or Spain’s serrano, have always been in our top ten. We even have similar taste in cocktails. Margaritas, martinis, and spritzes are our faves (although Sophie’s Moscow Mule obsession is her own!).

In the pages that follow you’ll find many of Sophie’s and my homecooked favorites from more than two decades of eating together, plus a handful of recipes that were created during the national quarantine of 2020. As always, I approach everything I cook with an eye toward flavor. I want your taste buds to sing with every bite, and for you to notice layers of textures that produce crispy, crunchy moments in every platter of food.

Along the way I thought about dishes and techniques that would help Sophie become a little more comfortable in the kitchen—she’s got great taste and is very knowledgeable about food (she grew up in restaurants, after all), but she’ll be the first to admit that she’s not the most confident cook. So throughout the book I’ve sprinkled a few kitchen conversations and cooking lessons designed to help Sophie—or anyone else who is just finding their footing in the kitchen—master key basics. If you’re about to send your kid away to college, give them this book so they can at least scramble an egg once they get there.

One of Sophie’s nicest qualities is her spirit of inclusion. I can only hope it’s one of the sensibilities she picked up from her father. While we love sharing meals just the two of us, we’re even happier when we’re joined by people we are close to or people we can’t wait to meet. I hope the recipes in this book produce many wonderful moments between you and the people close to you, too. Just remember, if it’s Sunday, there’s a seat waiting at our table. Sophie and I will be expecting you.

Bobby Flay
In a kitchen somewhere