As we prepare to return to Lewistown post
a year in Manhattan, I'm ready to assume
my role as chief cook and bottle washer.
I truly enjoy dishing it out but honestly,
it's a big responsibility. Which reinforces
just how hard our Mothers worked to keep
us well fed in days of yore. Orchestrating
meals seven days a week challenging. Not
only does one need to serve tried and true
favorites, one must also occasionally spice
things up. The last thing this foodie wants
to do is push his partner into a food coma.
Thus daily dazzle has to be on our menu.
I'll admit that said daily grind can get
at times get a bit rough. However at our
age who doesn't need a bit of roughage?
I find salads more than dull. Hence each
evening, I do my best to put some sort
of alternative spin into my salad spinner.
With somewhat limited produce options
in rural Montana, it can be tough to mix
it up. At hand options include olives,
hearts of palm, artichokes, or even the
requisite cucumber. However I prefer
to stay away from tomatoes unless they
are ripe off the vine (from our garden).
When it comes to dressing properly,
some just have a natural knack. "T"
mixes magic up in her wooden bowl.
Frank always tosses out winners. "S"
jazzes up her jumbles with a touch of
panache. While I keep things simple
with a classic vinaigrette over some
beautiful Bibb. Whether you prefer
to pour it on or go raw, we all need to
occasionally spice things up. A dash
or splash of something new can take
everyday fare from fair to fabulous.
So what's your secret ingredient?
Recent Romaine related issues remind
us to rinse again before you toss it in.
The good news is there are any other
greens available. For example - good
old cabbage. From Napa to Savoy to
red to Kimchee to Sauerkraut. We just
can't get enough of it. While we try to
stray from mayonnaise, we both adore
a crunchy slaw. In these modern salad
days even kale is now a viable verte.
So go-ahead toss caution to the wind
and be a lean, mean, green machine.
As my mother said, eat your veggies!
Mom and the experts always said that
vegetables were good for you. Sadly
those my Mother served rarely tasted
good. After years of pulverized peas
and crumbling carrots, my generation
rebelled against ill prepared produce.
Now we who loathed Brussels Sprouts
can't get enough of them. Even kale is
eagerly devour in roasted, raw, steamed,
dried, and creamed forms. Suddenly all
of the veggies we once abhorred we now
adore. Meaning we're strong to the finish
cause we eat our ORGANIC spinach!
It's all about balance. Hence my veggies
are even better when accompanied by a
massive portion of protein. I do enjoy all
of the starches although honestly, over
the years I've evolved away from always
serving carbs nightly, It's not that I don't
love a slab of mashed but they somehow
add up. Now I often dish out more than
a few veggies. And save those carbs for
pasta carbonara. Or after skipping a few
nights - gobble down a plate of piping
hot truffled pomme frites! Oddly guilty
pleasures taste better when they're rare.
The good news is I'm the only one
complaining - at least for now. No
matter what my Mother placed on
the table, Howard lauded each and
every debacle with "That was the
best dinner ever Babe." Flattery
aside, I think I'm doing a good job.
More important, I enjoy each and
every minute of the effort involved
in keeping my better half well fed.
In the end it doesn't matter what you
dish out, as long as it's served with
a heaping portion of love. YUM!
