Before we get to our exhibit, I need to pause and reflect on the Lahaina that was and mourn the loss of it… as it was and shall never be again.
Decades ago in 1985 my then very significant other took me on the most incredible vacation to Hawaii. He worked hard (and played harder) and so we had “mileage tickets” for first class tickets to Hawaii. It was delightful… so incredibly beautiful… and we spent a good bit of time in Lahaina. It was so lovely… with such history… and those Banyan trees. The news of the devastating fire that decimated the town is heartbreaking. I have not stopped thinking about my time there. The awe at the majesty of those trees, the quaintness of the whaling town, and the rustic bars that were abundant on Front Street. There was nothing quite like Lahaina… and my heart aches for those who lost their lives, those who lost their homes, their businesses… everything. I am so glad that in my “mind’s eye” I can still see it as it was and am so grateful I was able to visit it in my life.
Waimea Canyon (on Kauai) is the backdrop for a much thinner me. And how about those sun glasses!
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. ―
Welcome to the post that has challenged me this month: What foods do you eat now that you couldn’t have imagined eating as a child?
Hmm. Great question to ask the child of the world’s worst cook – my mother. Really! The. Worst. (how did I know this? Well, her mother was an amazing cook… and I don’t quite know what happened, but there we have it!) In my home the was lots of “goulash” (not to be confused with gulyás), fake mashed potatoes, Campbell’s Soups (yeah my mother never, ever made soup from scratch), and “Chili” with celery (really… it was just a “soupier goulash” with beans substituted for macaroni). Needless to day, I much preferred my Nana’s home cooking… my nana made *everything* from scratch.
I have always, always been an adventurous eater… that kid who liked things other kids did not. Yes, I was “that kid” who would eat – and enjoy – liver, tongue, chicken hearts, livers and gizzards… but I especially loved trying new things! I had a friend whose mother made the best enchiladas I have ever eaten… and every enchilada I have eaten since Mrs. Collazo’s enchiladas have paled in comparison!
But I think the thing I most appreciate now is someone who takes the time to cook *anything* from scratch. There is something about someone taking the time to make a meal that just elevates it to another level… even the simplest of dishes! Something made with love just tastes better.
Today, there is little I won’t eat…and I am still on that search for an enchilada that compares to Mrs. Collazo’s!
Thank you so very much for visiting this months exhibit! See you all back here next week!
Unlike you, I had a Mom who was a fabulous cook and who made everything (almost) from scratch. As I commented on Bonny’s blog, I remember not caring for turnips and parsnips – now I love them! We never had tofu – never even heard of it, but now I like it a lot. Same thing with yogurt. The one thing I still don’t like is liver (taste and texture thing).
I thought MY mom was the worst.cook.ever. One time she made “Turkey Surprise” which had no turkey, or any other ingredients that were in the recipe. Yes, she followed a recipe, but was unable to follow it. LOL My brother and I learned how to cook in self-defense! She will tell you, the best thing she can make are RESERVATIONS! Fortunately, my dad was a very good cook, and his sister, my Aunt Harriet, was the BEST. It took until I was a teenager to enjoy yogurt, but that was because no one ever bought it before. Neither of my parents cared for it.
I thought my mother was a pretty bad cook (she didn’t enjoy it and cooking was a real chore for her) but on the rare occasion that we had chili, it came out of a can and didn’t have celery in it! I am glad that you got to enjoy your Nana’s cooking and Mrs. Collazo’s enchiladas growing up. Here’s hoping you find some that taste almost as good!
I’m grateful that my mom had a couple of good cookbooks and found some delicious stand-by recipes — when she was in the mood/had the time to actually cook — to liven up the usual basic fare.
My mom was an adequate cook and my dad was ‘adventurous’ in his meals. I am an excellent cook but hate to do it (I’d rather sit and knit or read). Talent wasted I guess. Love the memory you opened your post with, so beautiful!
I am sorry that you did not eat great things growing up, but on the flip side I’m glad that it’s made you an adventurous eater! I live with two people who are rather picky, whereas I like trying new things, so I’m always trying to push them a bit.
In my family it was the opposite: my mom was an amazing cook and my Nana . . . not so much. She cooked because she had to feed her family but she took no joy in doing it and it showed. Also, there was never enough to go around as opposed to my mom who could have fed the neighborhood with what she made for us every night. There was always more . . . just in case, she said. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Thank you for the link to gulyas — I printed it and will make it, complete with dumplings, as soon as the weather turns cool. What was called goulash in southern MN where I grew up was ground beef, tomato sauce, and macaroni, with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper for the spicy version. Filling, cheap, and moderately tasty.
My mom was a good cook, generally from scratch, altho for the life of me I cannot see how she managed after she went back to teaching when I was 8. She was an excellent baker — bread every Saturday, cookies, pies, cakes, although those were usually from a mix.
As an adult I learned to love Mexican food, Italian food (even spaghetti was”too spicy for my meat-and-potatoes dad), Indian food (talk about spicy!), rye breads, artisanal breads, brown rice, and using meat as a condiment.
I’ve also been distraught about the fires on Maui. One of our best, most fun family vacations was back in 2006 on Maui. All of us have been just horrified at what’s happened to that incredibly gorgeous place. (It is fun to see a picture of young Kat, though!) I was never an adventurous eater as a child, and never sought out unfamiliar foods. My most adventurous eating back in the day . . . was when our French club visited a French restaurant (in Denver) and we all tried escargot! Now THAT was something . . .