Party

The Salsa Negra is in the pan, cooked down by half, another quarter to go, until it turns thick and black. Then you cool it and put it in a jar, to spoon out by tablespoons to make everything hot and delicious. Tonight for the TIAPOS party it's going to get mixed with white beans, tomatoes and cippolini onions.

But the amazing thing about Salsa Negra is that Rick Bayless, whose recipe The Great Plotnik follows almost faithfully, calls for 50 chipotle chilies. Plot uses 8 and it's at the edge of pain. Five times hotter than this? Rick Bayless must have burned the rubber off his front tires.

Duck is doing her circuit class and will start the pie doughs for the quiche when she gets back. Plot will start peeling cippolini, broiling tomatoes and chopping garlic and ginger in a little while, so he can get the flank steaks marinating. He may make a pilaf, just to be sure there's enough to eat -- everyone is bringing something but only Smiling Bill (salad) and Sarah (dessert) have told Plottie what that is. So ya never know.

Oh yeah, the vacuum. And the mop. Still, it's a PAR-TEE!