Besides midday naps, the one nice thing about being stuck at home is having the time to slow cook something like a stew on a weekday. A great and nutritous comfort food - perfect for a cool January dinner.Besides being saddled with uncontrollable stomach issues, I also seem to be saddled with an uncontrollable need to reflect. And, to be honest, I'm not sure which is worse. Haha. But sometimes it is pretty darn hilarious where the mind takes you...
So, today on January 12, as I put together my stew, I give thanks for B. Joan - the mother of my high school boyfriend and the woman who gave me her stew recipe. B. Joan played an important role in my life for nearly six years and, although we banged heads frequently, she welcomed me into her family and offered me many opportunities different from the ones I experienced with my own family... memories that can be included in my stew recipe today. Without her, I never would have had sailing adventures (who knew it IS dangerous to anchor in the path of BC ferries?), sat for hours in the dark giggling with my teen love over our refusal to eat cold (on purpose) carrot soup or learned - through an overly dramatic talking to about a high school party - that some people actually say "awr-gye" as opposed to "awr-jee" (which, incidentally, I had to ask the meaning of later).
As I stood rummaging through the fridge for ingredients for today's stew, I realized that my stew has evolved from when I first started making it over twenty years ago (fuck, I am old). The complimentary vegetables change each time; however, at the core of the recipe, it is still just meat, potatoes, tomato soup and seasoning. A wonderful foundation for a tantalizing dish...
And, if you think about it - which I certainly have time to do - isn't that what makes us who we are - a great core recipe with changes and/or additions over time?
Although B. Joan got off my bus in 1994, I give thanks for her, her family, the experiences and memories she gave me and for her role in shaping the recipe of me today.
To conclude and to satisfy the needs of the closest narcissist: I am thankful for the strong arms that wrap around me at the end of the day. But, seriously, what is with the twitching foot?!?!
