On Cookery

(I meant to post this on February 1, when it was written - oops!)

My days as a full-time ‘homemaker’ will soon come to an end. (Those of you who know me should understand the tone of sarcastic irony that accompanies that statement!) I will begin my new/old job this coming Monday, and hooray for that! Money!! Cash!! L’argent!! Huzzah!! But, some thing will be missed, and among those will be cooking.

Yes, I know, you are wondering: cooking? Won’t you have to do that anyway? Aren’t you bored having to figure out what to cook everyday? Isn’t that one of the reasons your first marriage, was, at times, such hell – the bloody constancy of the bloody cookery? Yes, Virginia, indeed, and that last bit especially. So why has it become such a pleasure? Possibly because my sweet W (MSW), unlike husband iteration 1 (HI1, or, HI2) is so easily pleased. A) because he doesn’t have to do it himself (although he does like to, is good at it, and does so rather more frequently than one would suppose), B) because he will eat practically anything, which means I have free reign to browse the cookbooks and experiment, C) because I am older, more patient, and more appreciative of his appreciation. Those are just some of the reasons, but mainly, I guess it is because at bottom I really do like to cook! With HI1, it was what I perceived as the ‘forced’ nature of the task that grated, not the task itself. With HI2, it was a growing annoyance with what I perceived as his perversity – I mean, how could anyone eat the same thing for lunch almost every day of his blooming life?? So, I was an unhappy cook, for a good bit of the time. But I like cooking, and within my own circle of expertise, I am, I must say, bloody good at it.

Last night, we had a bit of fried ham, garlic scalloped potatoes, collard greens, tossed green salad with tomatoes, apple and mushrooms, and cornbread. I don’t know about you, but that is some good eatin’, folks. Like I said, MSW is easily pleased, and the ease of being able to offer up a nice big pot of pinto beans and cornbread on a regular basis is not something that can be overstated. Or a big pot of blackeyes and cornbread. Or the quick and dirty version of King Ranch Chicken. Or chili-cheese dogs with tatertots!