Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Just Put a Little Love on That

Mmmm . . . love.

We were invited out to dinner last night.
Our hostess served us Turkey a la King.
And fresh, warm muffins.
With a crisp spinach salad.
Everything was absolutely delicious.
Which is usually the case when someone else cooks.
But as I was eating my salad, I suddenly remembered the spinach of my youth . . .
My Mom was a terrific cook.
Really terrific.
I can't remember anything that she made that I didn't like.
From her breakfasts of pancakes or waffles or bacon and eggs, through to her suppers of roast beef or shepherd's pie or veggies with cheese sauce, and everything in between.
Terrific.
But Mom had been raised by her Mom to believe that everything . . . everything . . . needed to be well done.
Meats.
Carbs.
Even veggies.
All had to be baked or fried or boiled to 'within and inch of their lives'.
Or at least until they had lost whatever colour they originally had.
It wasn't until I was married that I discovered the joy of 'medium rare' and 'tender crisp'.
And sometimes . . . raw.
I remember the first time someone served a mound of fresh, crisp cauliflower.
Uncooked.
With dipping sauce.
I stared at it.
Weird.
Cauliflower was suppose to be served steaming hot.
With cheese sauce.
I didn't even try it that time. Merely having seen it was sufficient for me.
Shortly afterwards, I did.
Try it, I mean.
I found it delicious.
And it opened a whole new world for me.
A world of colour and taste and texture that I never knew existed.
Back to the spinach.
Do you know how my Mom always served it?
Boiled.
I kid you not.
She would boil it.
Then serve it as a glop on our plates.
With vinegar.
And something else?
We loved it.
Slurped it down like it was our last food on earth.
My point here is that I love food the way I prepare it now.
But I loved it equally as well when Mom fixed it.
I guess it all just comes down to how much love is served with it.

8 comments:

  1. AND how hungry you are!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Diane, that's the way my nana used to prepare spinach! And guess what, I loved it! I remember eating it with big chunks of crusty bread. ha! Happy Halloween, my friend! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Bella! Mmmm . . . crusty bread. I should try it that way!

      Delete
  3. I agree Diane, I think it is all in how much love is made into the food, nice post:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Launna! Love makes everything taste better!

      Delete
  4. You liked the spinach? I still have a problem with that. Kenz makes a spinach lasagna which is great, but by itself, sorry, Popeye can have my share...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved it! A little butter. A little vinegar. And I was a happy person! Of course, I also liked things like: Squished bread. Frozen peas. So I wouldn't place much store by my taste buds . . .

      Delete

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