'Til Death Do Us Part - Melon Pasta Salad

Sunday, "Grandpa" Duane came over for dinner.  It's a rare meal that we spend alone with Duane, so on Sunday, after church we stopped by and picked him up for dinner with  us. 

Do you realize Duane will be 90 in January? He is doing so wonderfully.  Ok, so he doesn't hear so well, and is a bit unstable on his feet, and his hands don't work quite as well as they once did...but his mind is so bright,he is so very funny, and he knows what is going on in the world.  He amazes me!

After we finished the dinner - which by the way was really yummy and took just over 30 minutes to make- we talked a bit about this and that.  He told stories about his brother, and I saw his eye gloss over as he talked about Katie.  He so sweetly said that when they were first married she couldn't boil water but she became a wonderful cook who was able to put together lovely meals, and was a great hostess...like me. Such a compliment coming from a man who enjoys good food, served well and loved how his wife did it all.

Somewhere in the conversation, he turned the subject to Katie's death.  At first what he had to say was a bit macabre...something about still having Katie's ashes at home, in the kitchen...and when he dies he wants his ashes mixed together with hers so they can be buried together, forever. There was a glistening in the corner of his eyes as he looked back over the past 60  years and ahead, into eternity, all at once. 

Duane reminded me that that love, real love, the soul giving love of your parents, and grandparents, doesn't end when "death do us part", but goes on...

I'm so glad Grandpa Duane came over for dinner. 

You can link to the recipe for  Pasta Salad with Pancetta and Ricotta Salata here.  It is from the August 2012 edition of Bon Appetit

But in case this link doesn't work, here is a reprint of the recipe. 

• 2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon)
• 4 ounces orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta)
• Kosher salt
• 3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 cups 1x1x1/4" pieces peeled melon (any variety)
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, divided
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ounce ricotta salata (salted dry ricotta) shaved, or rumbled feta.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Arrange pancetta in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until brown and crisp, 20–25 minutes. (Alternatively, place pancetta on folded layers of paper towels on a microwave-proof plate and microwave on high until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.) Let pancetta stand until cool enough to handle, then break into bite-size pieces.
  Meanwhile, cook pasta in a medium pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta; run under cold water to cool. Drain and set aside.
  Whisk oil and vinegar in a large bowl. Add half of pancetta, cooked pasta, melon, half of mint, scallion, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle remaining pancetta and mint over. Garnish with shaved ricotta salata.