I think cooking for children or nieces or nephews should emphasize recipes handed down to you from your parents, grandparents etc. These are the important ways to preserve culture, identity, flavours, nutrition, and of course always says "I love you"
This might be my favourite sentence I've ever read:
"It means my house is clean, it means I have a fridge full of groceries, it means I get to spend all afternoon in my kitchen with my playlists and it means you and I are about to go from whatever we are to something infinitely more."
I'm feeling very emotional about that sentence as well. A woman that cooks for me at minimum gets the dishes done by me, possibly the kitchen floor waxed, and maybe even the living room furniture rearranged to her desire.
This was such an enjoyable read! Loved every bit of it and now I want to ask all my friends your charming question.
In return, I'll share my go to question. "What character in a movie or TV show do you think represents you the best?"
A great ice breaker with many interesting answers that leads to many different tangents as well as let's you know how the person before you thinks of themselves.
Kim thank you so much and I’m absolutely stealing this question. I’m going to say I’m a perfect hybrid of Timon from Lion King with Amy from Little Women (2019).
Fried rice. Simple. Dear to me, bc I could never even touch my mom’s fried rice, ever. &I been making fried rice since I was 13. Mine never tasted like hers. It’s my ultimate comfort food. Fried rice will be the first dish I cook for someone special.
I feel the exact same way about my mom’s chocolate chip cookies. Even if I follow her method with complete scientific rigor there is something essential missing. The smell of her hands?? It haunts me.
Spinach lasagna is my answer. I’m not even that good a cook, but I make the world’s absolute best spinach lasagna, doesn’t even seem to matter if I have all the ingredients. It’s some kind of witch’s brew, because it’s always the best one anyone’s had— even my hypercritical mother, and anyway you just unlocked a new dream: I’m going to invite a new friend over for a spinach lasagna dinner to take our friendship to the next (friendship) level. I do NOT yet know her mom’s name, but that’s a great setting to ask it in. Haha love that way of thinking of it!
Loved this piece, as it brought me back to some of my early dishes that I made for love. BTW, your style of writing reminds me of Ruth Reichl’s book Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table.
Anyway, my first dish for love was roasted quail (keeping to the dark meat theme), with smashed potatoes, and haricots verts. I worked at a swank restaurant in Brooklyn and the chef sent me home with a jar of fresh demi glacé to make the sauce. I lived in Greenwich Village at the time and completely crushed it. We dated for years and even lived together, but our journeys went in different directions in the end. I’ve never made that dish again, but given our fourth day of continuous snow, that could be on the menu.
I picked up “Garlic And Sapphires” on a whim 2 years ago and devoured her entire oeuvre. Any comparison to Ruth Reichl is the HIGHEST praise I could ever hope to receive.
And: I’m absolutely floored by this answer for three reasons: 1) quail!! Where? Do I get a quail? 2) the demi glace assist from swanky chef 3) imagining you dusting it off and making it again!!
Eggplant parmesan. I make a spicy tomato and vegetable sauce: that's the first layer. Then comes a layer of breaded fried eggplant. Next layer is a mixture of eggs, heavy cream and parmesan. I layer all of this three times then top it with freshly grated parmesan and bake it in the oven. It's beautiful and decadent and healthy all at once and it takes sooo long to make. Last time I made it was for a new boyfriend. He didn't like it. He didn't last.
A German meal like Jaegerschnitzel for my hunter-husband because we lived in Germany for six years early in our marraige. To us, German food, especially made with wild game, is like going home again to where "we" began.
Absolutely in love with this. For me it’s a whole roast chicken with tons of sheet pan veggies and side salad. And a tart! Your writing is delicious to read
I bake sourdough bread for my husband at least once a week because he gave up European bread to come here and marry me.
He got the deal of an absolute lifetime
Relationship-wise, I'd like to think so. But he has to work harder for less money and have much worse and more expensive healthcare. So ... not sure.
I think cooking for children or nieces or nephews should emphasize recipes handed down to you from your parents, grandparents etc. These are the important ways to preserve culture, identity, flavours, nutrition, and of course always says "I love you"
100% I’m welling up thinking about teaching my (unborn) children how to make mom’s egg strata. Do you have a family recipe?
This might be my favourite sentence I've ever read:
"It means my house is clean, it means I have a fridge full of groceries, it means I get to spend all afternoon in my kitchen with my playlists and it means you and I are about to go from whatever we are to something infinitely more."
Instant subscribe
I'm feeling very emotional about that sentence as well. A woman that cooks for me at minimum gets the dishes done by me, possibly the kitchen floor waxed, and maybe even the living room furniture rearranged to her desire.
This was such an enjoyable read! Loved every bit of it and now I want to ask all my friends your charming question.
In return, I'll share my go to question. "What character in a movie or TV show do you think represents you the best?"
A great ice breaker with many interesting answers that leads to many different tangents as well as let's you know how the person before you thinks of themselves.
Kim thank you so much and I’m absolutely stealing this question. I’m going to say I’m a perfect hybrid of Timon from Lion King with Amy from Little Women (2019).
Fried rice. Simple. Dear to me, bc I could never even touch my mom’s fried rice, ever. &I been making fried rice since I was 13. Mine never tasted like hers. It’s my ultimate comfort food. Fried rice will be the first dish I cook for someone special.
I feel the exact same way about my mom’s chocolate chip cookies. Even if I follow her method with complete scientific rigor there is something essential missing. The smell of her hands?? It haunts me.
Spinach lasagna is my answer. I’m not even that good a cook, but I make the world’s absolute best spinach lasagna, doesn’t even seem to matter if I have all the ingredients. It’s some kind of witch’s brew, because it’s always the best one anyone’s had— even my hypercritical mother, and anyway you just unlocked a new dream: I’m going to invite a new friend over for a spinach lasagna dinner to take our friendship to the next (friendship) level. I do NOT yet know her mom’s name, but that’s a great setting to ask it in. Haha love that way of thinking of it!
I don’t know much but I do know that 1) your spinach lasagna would blow my mind and 2) you’re about to make a friend for life.
I don’t know much but I do know that 1) your spinach lasagna would blow my mind and 2) you’re about to make a friend for life.
Sorry, you lost me with "my house is clean."
A girl can dream…
Gotta be one of my mom’s secret family recipes from the NOLA side. Gumbo, red beans & rice, big ass meatballs, or bananas foster 😮💨
Please make me red beans and rice I love you
Loved this piece, as it brought me back to some of my early dishes that I made for love. BTW, your style of writing reminds me of Ruth Reichl’s book Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table.
Anyway, my first dish for love was roasted quail (keeping to the dark meat theme), with smashed potatoes, and haricots verts. I worked at a swank restaurant in Brooklyn and the chef sent me home with a jar of fresh demi glacé to make the sauce. I lived in Greenwich Village at the time and completely crushed it. We dated for years and even lived together, but our journeys went in different directions in the end. I’ve never made that dish again, but given our fourth day of continuous snow, that could be on the menu.
Thanks again!
I picked up “Garlic And Sapphires” on a whim 2 years ago and devoured her entire oeuvre. Any comparison to Ruth Reichl is the HIGHEST praise I could ever hope to receive.
And: I’m absolutely floored by this answer for three reasons: 1) quail!! Where? Do I get a quail? 2) the demi glace assist from swanky chef 3) imagining you dusting it off and making it again!!
Ha! You can have two Quail, as they are wheee!! Let me know when you’re available and I’ll fly in…no pun intended…
Eggplant parmesan. I make a spicy tomato and vegetable sauce: that's the first layer. Then comes a layer of breaded fried eggplant. Next layer is a mixture of eggs, heavy cream and parmesan. I layer all of this three times then top it with freshly grated parmesan and bake it in the oven. It's beautiful and decadent and healthy all at once and it takes sooo long to make. Last time I made it was for a new boyfriend. He didn't like it. He didn't last.
A German meal like Jaegerschnitzel for my hunter-husband because we lived in Germany for six years early in our marraige. To us, German food, especially made with wild game, is like going home again to where "we" began.
Um can I write a novel about you guys you sound awesome…
Loved this one (again).
❣️❣️❣️
chicken cutlets 4everrrrr. any iteration <3
I’m gonna be up all night thinking about the iterations…
God I can’t wait for you to write a book
One of our children was always mixing up words. His favourite dinner was ‘Strangled eggs with flied rice’.
She sounds like an innovator
Absolutely in love with this. For me it’s a whole roast chicken with tons of sheet pan veggies and side salad. And a tart! Your writing is delicious to read