Cooking And Eating....“Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es”

 

THE 'BLACK WOMAN'.....CONTINUALLY TRANSFORMED TO SUIT THE "CURRENT' IMAGE OF THE MODERN 'WOMAN OF COLOR'......  AS A CHILD, IN THE 1940'S AND 50'S, I NEVER GAVE MUCH THOUGHT TO THE CHARACTERIZATION OF OUR BELOVED 'AUNT JEMIMA'; AND, THINK THIS "MODERNIZATION" IS JUST MORE COMMERCIAL/POLITICALLY-CORRECT REINVENTIONS OF 'HISTORY'......THE 'PANCAKE MIX' REMAINS, PRETTY MUCH, THE SAME, DOESN'T IT?    

 

            AFTER MULLING OVER ALL THE 'OPTIONS' FOR SILENCING MY STOMACH'S GROWLINGS THIS MORNING......I THOUGHT:  "A BLT HAS, FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, BEEN A 'GO TO'....SO, RATHER THAN COMPLICATE MY MORNING WITH AN IMMENSE MESS...IN THE KITCHEN....POACHING QUAIL EGGS, MAKING FRESH-BAKED BREAD, THEN TOASTING SLICES  OF SOURDOUGH, TOPPED WITH THE EGGS AND A FANCY SAUCE AND CHOPPED HERBS, THEN MORTAR-GROUND INDONESIAN SPICES......RECONSIDERING, I 'WENT FOR' THE OLD FAMIAR....THAT MY FATHER OFTEN MADE FOR MY 'BEFORE SCHOOL MEAL'....THE "BLT".....I MUST HAVE EATEN HUNDREDS OF THESE, DURING MY LIFE......I DID, HOWEVER, MAKE FRESH MAYO, WITH SMOKED PAPRICA AND FRESH-SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE......"

THESE COLORFUL KITCHEN TOOLS ARE MORE DURABLE THAN 'NATURAL WOOD'; SEEM IMPERVIOUS TO SALT WATER AND COOKING OILS; AND...WELL....AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AND COMFORTABLE IN ONE'S HANDS....  

THEN, AS I WAS ABOUT TO BITE INTO MY SIMPLE FAIRE, A FRIEND CALLED AND OFFERED ME HIS SHOWER, SINCE MY HOT WATER HEATER IS 'KAPUT'.....AND A DELICIOUS SALAD, AS WELL AS SOME OF HIS GRILLED  CARNIVOROUS COOKING  OF HALIBUT CHEEKS AND BEEF FILET..........SO, A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, I RETURNED...HOME..., CLEANED UP AND WELL-FED.....AND CRASHED FOR THE EVENING.....AWAKENING, AT 4 AM, FOR THE 'DESSERT'....THE ABANDONED PALMIER, SLATHERED WITH NUT BUTTER AND MARMALADE........