A summer of goodbyes

This summer has been full of transitions. New cities, new jobs, and new seasons for almost everyone I love. It feels like every few weeks there is another goodbye dinner, another car packed to the brim, another sibling chasing something that is pulling them somewhere far from here.

Being at home base means I get a front row seat to all of it. I get to watch them come and go, to host the send-offs and the welcome-homes, and to be the one who stays while everyone else scatters toward their next thing. I mean it when I say I am so excited for all of them. I have watched each of them work toward these moments, and there is nothing I want more than to see them build lives they love.

But I would be lying if I said it did not also break my heart a little. There is something specific about knowing your siblings are going to be spread across different states, that the easy proximity of growing up together is quietly becoming something you have to plan for. I think this is part of why Our Table’s Company has become what it has become.

We live in a moment that moves so fast. There is always more information, more noise, and more to keep up with. There are always more reasons to feel like you are falling behind if you are not optimizing every hour of your day. In all of that speed, it gets easy to forget what actually holds a life together. It is not the noise. It is the quiet stuff. It is humanity. It is siblings. It is family. It is the people who show up and sit down and stay a while.

It is time around a table.

That is the thing I keep coming back to, especially in a summer like this one. No matter how far everyone scatters, the table is still where we find our way back to each other. It does not have to be fancy. It does not have to be perfect. It just has to be a place where the people you love can land for a few hours and remember they belong to something.

So if I could remind you of one thing this Sunday, it would be that. Hold onto the table time. Call your sibling. Host the imperfect dinner. Let the people you love take up space in your actual life, not just your group chats.

And also, because we promised, here are the taco recipes.

Annette & Georgia

Yield: Marinade for 2–3 pounds of beef- Skirt Steak or Flank Steak

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 3 cloves garlic, grated

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, and brown sugar until well combined.

2. Place the beef in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over the meat, turning to coat all of the pieces evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 2 hours.

3. Preheat a grill to 450–500°F. Add the marinated beef and cook for 4–6 minutes on each side until the meat is browned with a slight char and just cooked through.

4. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes, then slice it thinly against the grain before serving.

5. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and serve immediately in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Yield: 6 servings

• 2½ pounds tilapia fillets

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• Zest and juice of 2 limes

• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

• Fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Pat the tilapia dry and place it on a sheet pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest and juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, and honey. Brush the mixture evenly over both sides of the fish. Marinate for 15–20 minutes, but no longer than 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Clean and oil the grill grates well, or use a grill basket or black stone.

3. Grill the tilapia for 3–4 minutes on the first side. Carefully flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

4. Transfer the fish to a platter and let it rest for 2 minutes. Break it into large pieces with a fork and finish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

5. Serve in warm tortillas with coleslaw, avocado, crema, salsa and a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro.