Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG
Leslie Karst here. Today, the Kitchen spotlight is not simply on me, but also on a woman whose enormous impact on the state of women’s rights in this country makes her deserving of the brightest spotlight ever created.
I’m talking of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And before you get too very confused, let me tell you that yes, this post is indeed about food: the sumptuous meal I had the honor of cooking for the celebrated RBG.
It came about like this: My father, who’d known Ruth since the 1960s when they were both professors involved with comparative law—she, Swedish civil procedure; he, Latin American land reform—was about to retire from his job teaching constitutional law at the UCLA school of law. Dad had been trying unsuccessfully for years to get Ruth to come speak at the law school, but when he wrote to say that this would be her last chance to come speak at his invitation, she finally indicated that she might accept.
When told this news by my father, my first reaction was to blurt out, “Oh, if she does say yes, you and Mom should invite her for dinner, and I can come down to your house and cook!” I’d been mostly joking, and had expected Dad to merely laugh in a “ha, ha, that’s a ridiculous notion” kind of way.
But instead, he cocked his head as he returned my gaze and said, “That sounds like a great idea.”
Oh, boy. Had I really just invited myself to host a dinner party for Ruth Bader Ginsburg? What on earth had I gotten myself into?
the soup I served to RBG
I’m not a chef, nor have I ever even cooked on any professional basis. When I so boldly offered to prepare dinner for the esteemed justice, I was a small-town lawyer who, to add a bit of spice to the daily grind of pumping out those billable hours, had merely taken up cooking as a hobby.
I enjoyed throwing small but stylish dinner parties and took pride in being able to serve my guests a series of tasty and artistically presented dishes over the course of an evening. One night it might be pan-fried pork chops in apricot-brandy sauce with roasted potatoes and sautéed leeks. On another, mussels steamed in butter and Pernod with a tossed green salad and a crunchy baguette. And for dessert, I’d add a decadent pastry that I’d purchase at our local bakery. That was about my speed.
But I’d never done any entertaining on this level before. Preparing dinner for someone as prestigious as a Supreme Court justice wouldn’t be the same as having a few of my good friends over for a fancy meal. No. This momentous event called for a sophistication and grandeur on a scale I’d never even considered attempting. Yet I’d volunteered to do so as casually as if asking, “How about coming over for pizza and beer?”
My new memoir, Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG, tells the story of this momentous experience—of my planning and preparation for, and angsting and obsessing over the big event—and of the surprising impact the journey had on me, as a lawyer, as a romantic partner, as a daughter, and as a person.
The book releases next Tuesday, April 4th. But for the chance to win an advance reader copy of the book, answer this question in the comments below: Who's the most famous or important person you've ever cooked for, and what did you prepare? (Be sure to include your email address; US only.)
About Justice is Served:
In this true-life Julie and Julia meets Notorious RBG mash-up, former attorney Leslie Karst recounts how finagling her way into hosting an intimate dinner party for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sends her on a journey of culinary discovery—and, ultimately, completely changes her life.
Justice is Served is Karst’s light-hearted, earnest account of the journey this unexpected challenge launched her on—starting with a trip to Paris for culinary inspiration, and ending with the dinner itself. Along the way, she imparts details of Ginsburg’s transformation from a young Jewish girl from Flatbush, Brooklyn, to one of the most celebrated Supreme Court justices in our nation’s history, and shares recipes for the mouthwatering dishes she came up with as she prepared for the big night. A heartfelt story of simultaneously searching for delicious recipes and purpose in life, Justice is Served is an inspiring reminder that it’s never too late to discover—and follow—your deepest passion.
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Praise for Justice is Served:
"The book is a romp from cover to cover--and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."
--KAREN SHIMIZU, executive editor of Food & Wine
"Home chefs and Ginsburg fans will find this culinary adventure exquisitely delectable."
--KIRKUS REVIEW
