Saturday, January 22, 2022

Kitchen Witchin'



I woke up this morning from a dream that left me unsettled- not an unusual occurrence. For whatever reason, dreams with my stepfather in them are happening almost nightly. 
I wish they weren't. 
In his last night's appearance he was actually apologizing to me...for brushing my hair when I was asleep. 
In my dream I thought, "That was not hair brushing." 
I have absolutely accepted the fact that what happened to me as a child will always be a part of my psyche and as such, something that I cannot afford to get too worked up over. And I know that there are millions who are in the same situation. We may all handle the residual damage differently but we have all developed our coping mechanisms. Some of them healthier than others. Some of them no longer even necessary but so much a part of us that we've lost our ability to let them go. 

Well. That's not really what I came here to talk about this evening. Actually, I didn't have much of anything on my mind when I sat down. I've just had a very house-wifey day and the minutes and hours have gone by of their own accord as I've floated through the motions. 

In covid news, Jessie reports that everyone in her house except for Vergil has a snotty nose and that is that for any symptoms. Lily reports that Owen is still testing positive and she and Gibson and Maggie are still negative. I actually talked to all of them today. Maggie called me on Gibson's phone and then I got to speak to the boys too. I told Owen that even though I knew he was going to be fine, that I'd cried when I heard he had Covid. 
"That's okay," he said. 
"I know," I agreed. 
I also Face Timed with Maggie on her mother's phone. We are planning a sleepover for next weekend if everyone stays negative. She wants macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets. And she says she has a surprise for me! I need to find a surprise for her too. She's such a sweet child. 

It's getting colder. Might freeze tonight so I have covered my Roseland mango and my back porch plants. The front porch plants are still covered from when it froze last week. The sun did not show its face all day long for the second day in a row but it may tomorrow. 
I've made a gumbo which is simmering and waiting for the shrimp to go in. There's a loaf of sourdough in the oven and I'll make rice because for whatever reason, there must be rice with gumbo. I just tasted it and I do think I got the roux just about right tonight. Here's what it looked like after it was done and the chopped onions, celery, garlic and peppers went in. 


Can you see how dark the roux is? It's such an interesting dish to make. You have to stir the oil and flour for a long time, patiently watching it go from ivory to the color of an old penny. Some say it should be the color of mahogany. But it's that roux and its slow, intense browning that gives gumbo its earthy deliciousness. Yesterday I made a chicken stock with the carcass of the roast chicken I'd made the day before and I added the shrimp shells to that today and let that mixture simmer while I made the roux, then poured it through a strainer into the roux and vegetables, added the okra and sausage and tomatoes and now, like I said, it's waiting for the shrimp. Every time I make gumbo I think of the Africans who brought this celestial dish here along with the okra that brings the whole thing together. Sometimes when I think about cooking I feel as if through the food we make we are honoring and actually tasting so many cultures and horticultures, too. 
It's history and art and skill and practice and intuition and science and tradition and creativity all brought together into one place. It is no mystery why the kitchen is the heart of the home. 


I guess that's what I came here to talk about this evening. 

Love....Ms. Moon

26 comments:

  1. Yes, food and cooking it is one of the most powerful cultural and communication tools we have. It's wonderful to make food that connects us to other cultures. I have an idea for an African food to make at some point, from the teaching of an African YouTuber, who will be thrilled to hear I've tried it.

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  2. I'd like to have some gumbo but I'm not as industrious as you. Besides I cooked the last of the shrimp I had bought with an eye to making gumbo from a packaged mix. So no shrimp anyway.

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    1. One of the luxuries of my life is always keeping shrimp in the freezer. I get the wild caught frozen at Costco and I sure hope they ain't lying.

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  3. Your cooking, Mary, is such a loving nurturing art. Beauty! Little wonder that your family flocks to you. I hope that you can pass on your skills to your grand children, they really should benefit from your skills , other than just eating it all like ravenous wolves. When they are older they could open a restaurant, "Mer's Grand Munch" and folks would come from all over the universe to dine.

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    1. Ha! Well, maybe! My kids all like to cook, even Hank can throw together a good soup or stew. I love how my kids have taken what I made and have made them their own in their own ways. It's pretty cool.

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  4. be still my heart with your Gumbo. I only made it once years ago...it was good, but haven't (why?) since. cooking is a true path to our hearts......every bite envelopes the love that went into creating it........ cooking IS love. May you all be well
    Susan M

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    1. I don't know why you haven't made gumbo since. You should! It's not that hard at all, just a little time-consuming but so dang worth it.

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  5. That gumbo looks good and with that sour dough bread it will truly wonderful.

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  6. Owen gets realism from his grandfather! I hope he recovers soon.

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  7. I've never eaten spicy things such as gumbo, my tastes these days run to more bland foods, mostly because I can't be bothered with cooking and all the cleanup that comes after. I hope all are soon well again.

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    1. Gumbo is only really spicy if you add lots of hot peppers to it which I do not. But yeah- lots of clean-up involved in cooking.

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  8. I wonder who first invented a roux? And was it accidental? Were they thickening some water with flour and let it cook a little too long and then thought, "Hey, this isn't bad!?"

    Is Owen still staying with Jason?

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    1. I thought about that myself, Steve. Only it's oil and flour or some kind of fat and flour. Whoever and however- I'm grateful.
      Owen has been back home for a few days but they're keeping him quarantined as much as possible.

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  9. I love how you cook, from scratch, with love and patience.

    I'm making peri peri chicken tonight. I made the marinade yesterday. It's made with 8 thai chilis and a drop of it splashed on my face, just under my nose but I didn't notice until I rubbed my face and transferred some of the burn into my nose. OMG that hurt. So half an hour of googling and then milk, oil and finally dish detergent got the job done.

    Next time I'll be more careful and wear gloves.

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    1. Oh dear god. That sounds so painful. You poor thing! I've never even had peri-peri chicken before but now I am intrigued. However, I will be careful if I do make it.

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    2. OMG Pixie, I just googled your chicken.......sounds wonderful! Thank you for a new meal idea!
      Susan M

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  10. I was a picky eater as a kid but I have grown a little more adventuresome food-wise as an adult. There are so many delicious foods and I have learned to enjoy many things I would never have eaten as a child.
    You have a wonderful way of describing your food prep that always leaves me drooling to have a bite! :)

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    1. I think we all mature in our tastes as we get older. At least most of us. Not all!
      If I describe food prep well it's because I love it! Mostly.

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  11. In my mind, this sentence reads "You, Mary, are history and art and skill and practice and intuition and science and tradition and creativity all brought together in one being." I love you.

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  12. I'm glad Jessie's family are only dealing with snotty noses. THAT you can deal with. And I'm pleased to hear Owen's doing better now too!

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  13. The perfect roux is a lesson in patience.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.