Salt enhances flavor of so many dishes

Schedules and commitments get in the way of my partying plans, and on many weekends I am too tired to do anything other than pull on stretchy pants, pour a glass of wine and call for takeout.

Picadillo is always served with black beans, so I thought about that too — how good creamy, simple beans are when paired with fluffy white rice.

Just as I started to think about luscious Cuban rum cake, a golden, rum-soaked confection that is rich and buttery and sweet, my husband interrupted my reverie with a dose of reality.

On that same Saturday night, our son had a soccer game, smack in the middle of prime partying hours — 8:30 p.m. Even though I love to watch Elliot play soccer, I did a little grumbling about soccer and schedules and the lack of partying in my life.

On the night that we went to a soccer game and not a Cuban party, we packed up water bottles and shin guards and drove to the soccerplex.

There was a bag of fat shrimp in my refrigerator, and while we drank our wine and listened to music, I tossed them in a simple mixture of lemon zest, thyme leaves and salt.

[...] use kosher salt, for its large grains.

Keep a small bowl of it next to the stove and use three fingers to pick up a pinch — a little less than a teaspoon.

A small amount goes a long way, so pull a small pinch of it between three fingers and crush it a bit, then sprinkle evenly over any kind of food, from salad to meats and vegetables and even chocolate (especially chocolate!).

Gomasio is made by finely chopping toasted sesame seeds and combining them with salt.

[...] my most favorite flavor combination is salty and sweet put together.

The chocolate tart recipe included is one I make often for guests (did someone say party?), and it's the best kind of entertaining recipe: simple and easily made in advance.

There will be soccer games and work commitments.

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)

With the motor running, pour the cold w