“If they like it, it serves four; otherwise, six. “
Some mornings just seem to be perfect. Today’s is one of them. The sun is bright. A breeze is coming in through the back door, from the south. My den is cool and dark, a pleasant place to be. My neighborhood is quiet. I can hear only birds greeting the day. The coffee was delicious. I lingered while I read both papers.
I have no plans for today. I’ll just wait and see what unfolds.
When I was a kid, I had a bit of a boring palate. My mother served us what she knew we’d eat. She went heavy on the potatoes and ground beef, and for dinner, we always had a vegetable. Corn was the hands down favorite, niblets, not creamed corn. I loved peas. I found them versatile. Sometimes I’d mix them into the potatoes. It wasn’t a pretty sight, but it was tasty. They were perfect in pasta salads. Even now, peas are among my favorites. Chinese food was the most exotic we ate. When I was little, my parents told us Chinese food was only for adults. I believed them. Who would have thought parents lied?
I remember my first introduction to Ghanaian food. It was at dinner. I didn’t eat it. It was a glob of mushy green something or other. I asked and found out it was kontomire stew, a stew made from cocoyam leaves. I did try it and didn’t like it, but over time, I ate and enjoyed many Ghanaian foods, just not kontomire.
My palate expanded wider and wider. In every country where I traveled, I tried the food. I ate reindeer in Finnish Lapland. I remember sitting in the hotel dining room watching Thomas Eagleton withdraw as McGovern’s vice presidential nominee 18 days after he had been named.
Ordering food in Europe was easy, but in Africa and South American, my language skills being limited, I just pointed at what I wanted to eat. I seldom asked what the food was. I didn’t want to know. I let my eyes and my taste buds. I was seldom disappointed.
As for now, I don’t cook for myself too much. I am into easy, but now and again I make a meal. If I make a meal like a meatloaf, I eat it a few days in a row. It becomes dinner and sandwiches for lunch. Last night it was spaghetti and meatballs. It will be the same tonight and maybe tomorrow night.
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June 29, 2023 at 10:59 pm
Hi Kat,
Today we topped out at the century mark again. The really bad part is that the low temperature in the morning has been around 80°. The humidity is still high and makes the days miserable. Today the low temperature was 79°.
Last night my spouse wanted a Gyro. There’s a good middle eastern fast food place nearby. When I drove up yesterday the door was locked and there was no one inside. I suspected that they had gone out of business. Today we called their number and they were open. They explained that they closed yesterday for a Muslim holiday. I asked why they didn’t put a sigh in the window. They said that they forgot. The food was excellent. I had a lamb kabob sandwich. My spouse doesn’t like lamb. I know a Gyro is made from both lamb and beef. Sometimes it’s better for the relationship to keep one’s mouth shut. 🙂
June 29, 2023 at 11:22 pm
Hi Bob,
It got to the mid-70’s which seemed high enough. We are now down to today’s low, the high 60’s. It was less humid than it had been yesterday. They are predicting a warmer than usual summer.
I love Middle Eastern food. I don’t think many here on the cape agree as the place I always went closed. They had their meat on a giant rotisserie and dramatically cut it in front of the customer. It was actually pork. I would never have minded if it were lamb as I like that as well.
June 29, 2023 at 11:46 pm
Interesting, you would never think a middle eastern restaurant would serve pork, even if they were Christian. Muslims don’t eat pork. Even if they were Christians, I would think that they would not serve pork so as to not scare off their Muslim customers, I assume there are Muslims on the Cape. Maybe that’s why they closed. 🙁
June 30, 2023 at 12:11 am
I assume there are Muslims on the cape, but I haven’t seen any. Years ago at the high school, we had one Muslim, a girl, but she only stayed one year. I think many Cape natives don’t eat exotic food and Middle Eastern could be considered exotic. Even barbecue restaurants don’t seem to last long.