So last week I treated myself to a fabulous decadent meal made with these very hands. And when I say “decadent,” I don’t mean I hoofed it down to Whole Foods and picked up some luxurious ingredients that cost me the better part of my paycheck. Nay, I merely made something so divine and delicious that single girls (well, in my case, engaged) don’t usually make at home. I’m not saying we’re in our jammies, eating Grape-Nuts, watching Grey’s Anatomy every night, but we’re not whipping up souffles either.

I made mussels with white wine and leeks. Meaty plump delicious mussels steamed in a broth of said wine and leeks, along with tons of garlic, too. It left a sinful broth in the bowl that I wiped up with a crusty baguette. I’m drooling again just remembering it. Only there’s one–well, two–problems. The first is: you know that money shot you take of the  completed recipe? The one where you’ve plated everything up and damn, if it doesn’t look like something out of Gourmet, it’s at least passable? The one where you tinker with your camera, making it do something, because you’re hungry and not in the mood for its shenanigans?

I forgot about it. In fact, I ended up taking a photo of the carnage.

I was starving. As you can plainly see, there is nary a morsel of mollusk left in those shells. All devoured by me. Then, after my gluttony and my dawning realization that I hadn’t taken a completed picture, I remembered that there were still some mussels left in the pot for tomorrow’s dinner. (The LSC having checked on the safety of reheated shellfish for second consumption.)

Gorgeous, yeah? And definitely not the sort of thing you make on a nightly, or even weekly, basis? But here’s where Problem #2 steps in and introduces itself:

I’ve lost the recipe.

I know, right? This recipe I carefully clipped out of the Dining Out section of the Times, that I set aside for a day when I just wanted to treat myself. I think in a frenzy of tidying up–I believe Shazzer was coming into town that week–I tossed it away. Gone. Probably in a dump somewhere. Sigh.

I’m sure there are lots of helpful sites out there that will have similar, if not better, mussel/leek recipes.  It just won’t be mine. Oh well. Still, you, dear reader, should find a really good recipe of your own and treat yourself one night. I promise you’ll not regret it.

p.s. Didn’t the LSC do a fab job on the Carbonara? Mine was more traditional, but the fiance has always been a “what’s on hand” kind of man.