It’s mid-January here in Santa Cruz, California, and a cold drizzle has been falling steadily since yesterday afternoon—much to the annoyance of my Border Collie mix, Rosie, who’d love nothing more than to go for an early-morning walk were she not allergic to the rain. Just as well, though, because I’ve got a big day ahead.

First, it’s off to my law firm, where I try to bill at least five hours (billable hours: the bane of every associate attorney’s existence). Then, once freed from the tedious motion to change venue of the trial I’ve been working on, I head to the grocery store. Time to start buying items for the big dinner that’s fast approaching—an event which has been occupying my almost-every thought for the past several months. For in less than two weeks, I—Leslie Karst, small-town attorney and amateur cook—will be hosting a dinner party for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her husband Martin, my parents, my partner Robin, and me. Oh, yeah, and five US Marshals, as well…

All very exciting. But scary, too: What if I overcook the scallops in ginger-lime cream sauce I’ve planned for the momentous meal? What if the Ginsburgs don’t like the wines I’ve painstakingly chosen to pair with all the courses? What if the justice wants to engage me in a conversation about the law?

No. I’m not going to think about that right now. Concentrate on the moment, Leslie. What kind of cashews should I get for us to nibble on whilst sipping our pre-dinner Champagne? Raw or roasted? Salted or unsalted? Huge ones or small ones? I finally settle on roasted and salted nuts. And the small variety, given their higher nut-to-salt surface area. Okay, so that decision took only five minutes.

It’s been like this for weeks, now. Every decision I make about the upcoming dinner—no matter how tiny or trifling—has become vitally important, as if the success of the entire event will depend on the size of the cashews I choose. I feel like my whole life has been reduced to focusing solely on this one future point in time: My Dinner with Ruth.

Which isn’t a bad thing, mind you. I’m having loads of fun imagining what it will be like, getting to spend an entire evening in the company of the magnificent RBG and her witty and charming law professor/tax attorney husband Marty. Will I be privy to Court secrets? Or amusing personal anecdotes about the justice and her husband? Only time will tell.

But one thing’s for certain: I’m going to make dang sure that the food will be delicious!

Justice Is Served, A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG
Genre: Memoir
Release: April 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

When Leslie Karst learned that her offer to cook dinner for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her renowned tax law professor husband, Marty, had been accepted, she was thrilled—and terrified. A small-town lawyer who hated her job and had taken up cooking as a way to add a bit of spice to the daily grind of pumping out billable hours, Karst had never before thrown such a high-stakes dinner party. Could she really pull this off?

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. But this memoir isn’t simply a tale of prepping for and cooking dinner for the famous RBG; it’s also about how this event, and all the planning and preparation that went into it, created a new sort of connection between Karst, her partner, and her parents, and also inspired Karst to make life changes that would reverberate far beyond one dinner party.

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.

About the author
The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney that she rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking, and she once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock, and of course writing. In addition to Justice is Served, she is also the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a “snarky cozy” culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California. Leslie and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz, California and Hilo, Hawai‘i. Visit her at LeslieKarstAuthor.com.

All comments are welcomed.