Lancaster, let's cook!

As I pack away the last remnants of summer and get the house ready for the cold months ahead, I spent part of the morning moving twelve sparkling glass jars from my kitchen counter to the pantry. Back in June, those jars were filled with freshly made red currant jelly. While I love keeping a jar or two on hand for cold winter mornings, the vast majority of my haul will serve a higher purpose: as host gifts for the holiday parties that will be here before we know it. My fixation with red currants isn't just about preserving fruit; it’s tied to a magical afternoon spent picking them on the property of my partner Frank's cousin, Rosanna, and her husband, Dominique. Thirty years ago, while working as busy professionals in Paris, they bought a historic country house in the small town of Vimoutiers in Normandy. Built by a wealthy merchant, the home was nearly lost to time, but Rosanna (who is Italian) and Dominique (who is French) saved it from the wrecking ball. Over three decades...