The Astronomer and I celebrated our sixteenth wedding anniversary toward the tail end of April. In line with tradition, we relived our wedding banquet at Five Star Seafood Restaurant in San Gabriel (which unbeknownst to us moved across the street into the ballroom of the Hilton) and I prepared something delicious inspired by antiquated anniversary gifts. Thus far in our marriage, The Astronomer has been gifted edible interpretations of Paper, Cotton, Leather, Fruit, Wood, Sugar, Wool, Bronze, Pottery, Tin, Steel, Silk, Lace, Ivory, and Crystal.

Since it is customary to bestow wax upon one’s beloved in recognition of the sixteenth anniversary, I prepared a New England clam chowder with waxy red potatoes using a recipe from The Kitchn, and procured beautifully burnished canelé from a new specialist in Pasadena for dessert.

The Astronomer curated a thoughtful charcuterie board for my waxen gift, featuring a duo of waxed rind cheeses (gouda and goat), an array of cured meats sourced from Roma Italian Deli (mortadella, spicy salami, regular salami, and prosciutto), and a waxy honeycomb garnish.

Needless to say, we were well fed this year.