“You gonna make me something to eat, lovely one?” Mitch grinned a Valentino grin, horn in one hand, Sassafrass on the other. She giggled distractedly and mumbled, “Yeah, I just wanna write down a few things before I get stuck in the kitchen.”

She rubbed her temples impatiently, because for a change Mitch wasn’t on her mind. She didn’t want to play; she wanted to write, and Mitch was messing around, being nasty. She caught his wrist with her thumb and index finger. “Not now, Mitch. Not now. I wanna go do something.” Mitch released her instantly. He wasn’t into taking any woman who didn’t want him desperately, so Sassafrass could go. And Mitch picked up his horn and tooted the melody of Looney Tune cartoons he had to watch when he was a child at the boys’ reformatory in Philadelphia: dadadadada dadadadada, and then he imitated Porky Pig saying, “t-t-t-t-that’s all, folks!” He smiled to himself when Sassafrass slammed the door to the kitchen and made obviously rebellious noises with every pot she handled.

Mitch had convinced Sassafrass that everything was an art, so nothing in life could be approached lightly. Creation was inherent in everything anybody ever did right; that was one of the mottos of the house. Sassafrass had made an appliquéd banner saying just that, and hung it over the stove:

CREATION IS

EVERYTHING YOU DO

MAKE SOMETHING

She sat on her personal chair to concentrate on what to create for dinner. She was busy thinking of nothing when she fixed on the idea of a rice casserole, sautéed spinach and mushrooms with sweet peppers, and broiled mackerel with red sauce. If she prepared this scrumptious meal there wouldn’t be hardly enough food left to finish off the week, but since Mitch was into her being perfect today, she decided to make a perfect meal and let him perfect out the menu for later, because “you can’t cut no corners and be right” is what he always said. And Sassafrass set to work.

Sassafrass’ Rice Casserole #36

1½ cups medium grain brown rice	pound smoked cheddar cheese
3 ounces pimentos	½ cup condensed milk
1 cup baby green peas	Diced garlic to taste
½ cup fresh walnuts	Cayenne to taste

Cook rice as usual. In an eight-inch baking dish, layer rice, cheese, pimentos, walnuts, and peas. Spread garlic and cayenne as you see fit. Pour milk around side of dish so it cushions rice against the edge. Bake in oven 20–30 minutes or until all the cheese melts and the top layer has a nice brown tinge.

Sassafrass’ Favorite Spinach for Mitch #10