December 30, 2004
He Said, She Said
My Brother-In-Law (the one married to my sister, not the one married to my husband's sister) said something interesting today. He said, "Man, I think your family is obsessed with food."
He might have said that because around Christmas we start in early about what food we should have, what should go with it, and what new techniques we read about, to mention a few. It might also have to do with the fact that I (and probably my sister too, I don't know, I am not paying attention) totally freak out joyfully when we get some new kitchen thing. Seriously, in the last year, I have received copper-bottom stainless steel pans, steel pan rack, cast iron griddle, cast iron tortilla pan, 3-4 recipe books, bowls, glasses, canned tomatoes, canned pickles, canned peaches, many bottles of wine......I know I have left some out but a year is a long time to think about.
He is right, we ARE obsessed. I am taking it as compliement, and I think he meant it as a compliment. We are foodies. We love everything there is about food. My parents sometimes call me right after their first tomatoes are ripe on the vine, chatting on their cell phone, slurping tomato off the vine with salt shaker in hand. I couldn't have been more excited when I opened a belated Christmas gift today to receive The Wine Lover Cooks With Wine.
We are proud of our ability to cook. Food is glorious and magical. What a gift my parents bestowed upon us when they taught us to utilize all of our senses when in the kitchen. I have to say I wasn't too fond of the early use of free labor when it came to washing the dishes, however. Still, I give credit to my mother who allowed us free and easy access to the kitchen. Bravely, she also let us toss together whatever we wanted in our spare time. Fresh garden strawberries, cool whip and ice cream? Sure! Homemade cookies? Why not? Those Jiffy box brownies with Jiffy white frosting...oh wait! don't forget the red and blue food coloring for a spectacular purple tone. We still talk about how good those where to this DAY.
I still remember the first time I tried water with lemon peel in it (Marie Calendars, of all places). I wish I could make the chicken noodle soup with those DIVINE egg noddles from that restaurant so close to my Mom's old work. How I miss the roasted shallot bread from the 74th St Alehouse. Oh man, I would KILL for that spicy Chicken that my mom and I used to get from that Chinese restaurant in Spokane, what was that name again?
I am a good cook and I owe a lot of people for that, my mom first and foremost. Secondly my old roommate Kate, who was ALL about the kitchen and homemade things. I owe her for her daring with salad dressings and because of her I pretty much refuse to buy any bottled vinaigrettes. I also owe each and every cook I ever worked with (and dated), I owe both of my grandmothers who had skills that filled the others gaps, and my Aunt for her fabulous chicken salad recipe, not to mention that thing where you mix chicken tenders with cream of mushroom soup and serve over rice-a-roni. Divine.
I love every gadget in my kitchen that makes it easier to pretend I am a from-scratch cook. I love food. I think my sister does too, and you can tell from our conversations. I am SO lucky to have my family. Addicts the lot of them. To food, to enjoyment, to life.
Posted by kerewin at December 30, 2004 09:09 PM