Melancholy and Marvelous and Dearly Missed.
My mother loved FOOD! Shopping, unpacking, organizing the refrigerator, preparing, cooking, eating, wrapping leftovers, cleaning out the refrigerator, eating some more. She studied food and became a dietitian. Studied some more and with her masters degree was titled Nutritionist. Later on, at the age of 50, she got an M.S.W. in social work. Perhaps she wanted to figure out through research why food was always top of mind.

As kids we relied on radishes cleaned and in the original tupperware with salt and French dressing as an after school snack. Sometimes we opted for Buitoni Raviolis, yum as I think about it now.

We waited around and did homework until dinner, which was often something breaded, something fried with Le Seur Peas and a baked sweet potato. We looked forward to broiled baby lamp chops- we still do. The melody lingers on. Snowballs, hostess cupcakes, twinkies, drakes ring dings, yodels -yum and yum. Euphoric, gastronomic recall. Soph saved the Lindt Chocolate for her mj and card games. 

As the culinary seed was planted I waited for it to sprout into my type of gastronmia. I too, love food. However, everything else around it feels equally as appealing. I have an extensive salt and pepper shaker collection. Varied, and meaningful pieces collected from places I’ve traveled to antiquing and gift’s from my niece’s, sister’s, friends and now grandchildren. – From places they’ve traveled to. So thoughtful, so cherished. A potpourri of antiques, silver, blown glass, handmade ceramics. Betty Boop and Harley Davidson sets hang out in my cabinet together. Dishes, silverware and amber glass represent my treasured items. Flowers and table settings add to the allure of our meals. My collection of soupcons (fancy serving ladles) were fun finds.

Shopping for the ingredients at outdoor markets and researching who has the best mozzarella and filet mignon, a fun past time. Aligning the seats for comfort and space adds to the canvas. I make sure the creases in the napkins are well pressed and the water glass is properly situated. Once the candles are lite, I get dressed. With the the ice set up on the bar and lemon and lime slices cut, it is now show time. As the final touches are in place, all the while I have the oven on, the flames on low and I check my “something breaded, something fried.“ I learned from The Best.