Thursday Thirteen
I would never suggest that my mom is The World’s Best Cook. Not at all. She's not particularly adventurous nor is she very creative. But, the things she does, she does well. Very well. And cookbooks or recipes? Unessential. Today, a list in honour of my mom's cooking.
Thirteen Delicious Things My Mom Makes
1. Cabbage rolls.
2. Warenki (perogies to you non-Mennonites)
3. These shortbread-like sandwich cookies that she fills with pink icing. Always pink. Not sure why other colours don’t sneak in there sometimes.* These used to be reserved for Christmas but now she spoils us with them more often.
4. Peppermint brownies.
5. Bubbat.
6. Waffles (no, not Eggo) served with a warm vanilla pudding-like sauce that we dip them in.
7. Sweet and sour meatballs.
8. Rhubarb pie. I don't even really like pie but I can't seem to say no to Mom's rhubarb pie. (Actually, same thing with chocolate cake. I decline most chocolate cakes but my mom's?… mmmm.)
9. Cucumber salad. That might sound completely ridiculous to put in this list as how tricky is it to make? Well, not that tricky but I'll be honest with you, I've never tasted one I like as much as my mom's.
10. Jam. Frankly, I think it's why my father married her. Well, okay, it’s doubtful that she knew how to make jam that well at 21 but I think it might be why he STAYED married to her. Give her a fruit and mom will make a delicious jam. It's not any jam, it’s Grandma Jam.
11. Gravy. It annoys me a little how this woman makes gravy. She just tosses some flour into a pan of boiling hot fat and then pours in some water and somehow magically, it turns into fantastic, creamy (no lumps. Ever.) tasty gravy Every. Single. Time. I've actually nearly completely quit making gravy because of this. I can't come CLOSE. Not even a little. Mine mostly tastes like flour and fat. Ew!
12. Soup. Simple as that. Just soup. Because I can't just say, "oooh, my mom makes wicked cabbage borscht" or "my mom’s bean soup is fantastic" or "you should taste my mom's broccoli soup" or "tomato soup? You really don't know how good it can taste". Because it's true. All of them. She makes good soup.
13. White bread/buns/multigrain bread/whole wheat bread. I know, this was cheating a bit. Kind of like the soup one. Frankly, keeping this list at 13 was a ridiculous idea. (I haven't even MENTIONED her cinnamon buns.) But so be it… back to the bread. It's good. Very good. More than that I can't really say. But, the other thing about my mom is that if you ever go to visit her she will happily send some home with you. And you will hoard it. You will. And you will toss all ideas of a low-carb diet aside for just one more bite of that glorious baking.
* Just a little story to show how sweet my mom is. She's been gone for a few weeks. For some reason Abby has taken to calling her on her Fisher Price phone every single day. If you ask her who she's calling it's Grandma. And why? Well, because Grandma is making her cookies of course. What kind of cookies you might ask? Purple. Anyway, I mentioned this to Mom once when she called. Of course, she was quite tickled. And, of COURSE when we showed up there Grandma had some cookies for her. The ones with the pink icing because (according to Mom): "I thought these might be the ones Abby meant when she said 'purple'." No, Mom, she really only said purple because it's currently her favorite colour and her favorite response to so many things. But, hey, thanks for the cookies anyway. Good thing Abby got one at your house 'cause she sure ain't getting any of the ones I took home with me.
Thirteen Delicious Things My Mom Makes
1. Cabbage rolls.
2. Warenki (perogies to you non-Mennonites)
3. These shortbread-like sandwich cookies that she fills with pink icing. Always pink. Not sure why other colours don’t sneak in there sometimes.* These used to be reserved for Christmas but now she spoils us with them more often.
4. Peppermint brownies.
5. Bubbat.
6. Waffles (no, not Eggo) served with a warm vanilla pudding-like sauce that we dip them in.
7. Sweet and sour meatballs.
8. Rhubarb pie. I don't even really like pie but I can't seem to say no to Mom's rhubarb pie. (Actually, same thing with chocolate cake. I decline most chocolate cakes but my mom's?… mmmm.)
9. Cucumber salad. That might sound completely ridiculous to put in this list as how tricky is it to make? Well, not that tricky but I'll be honest with you, I've never tasted one I like as much as my mom's.
10. Jam. Frankly, I think it's why my father married her. Well, okay, it’s doubtful that she knew how to make jam that well at 21 but I think it might be why he STAYED married to her. Give her a fruit and mom will make a delicious jam. It's not any jam, it’s Grandma Jam.
11. Gravy. It annoys me a little how this woman makes gravy. She just tosses some flour into a pan of boiling hot fat and then pours in some water and somehow magically, it turns into fantastic, creamy (no lumps. Ever.) tasty gravy Every. Single. Time. I've actually nearly completely quit making gravy because of this. I can't come CLOSE. Not even a little. Mine mostly tastes like flour and fat. Ew!
12. Soup. Simple as that. Just soup. Because I can't just say, "oooh, my mom makes wicked cabbage borscht" or "my mom’s bean soup is fantastic" or "you should taste my mom's broccoli soup" or "tomato soup? You really don't know how good it can taste". Because it's true. All of them. She makes good soup.
13. White bread/buns/multigrain bread/whole wheat bread. I know, this was cheating a bit. Kind of like the soup one. Frankly, keeping this list at 13 was a ridiculous idea. (I haven't even MENTIONED her cinnamon buns.) But so be it… back to the bread. It's good. Very good. More than that I can't really say. But, the other thing about my mom is that if you ever go to visit her she will happily send some home with you. And you will hoard it. You will. And you will toss all ideas of a low-carb diet aside for just one more bite of that glorious baking.
* Just a little story to show how sweet my mom is. She's been gone for a few weeks. For some reason Abby has taken to calling her on her Fisher Price phone every single day. If you ask her who she's calling it's Grandma. And why? Well, because Grandma is making her cookies of course. What kind of cookies you might ask? Purple. Anyway, I mentioned this to Mom once when she called. Of course, she was quite tickled. And, of COURSE when we showed up there Grandma had some cookies for her. The ones with the pink icing because (according to Mom): "I thought these might be the ones Abby meant when she said 'purple'." No, Mom, she really only said purple because it's currently her favorite colour and her favorite response to so many things. But, hey, thanks for the cookies anyway. Good thing Abby got one at your house 'cause she sure ain't getting any of the ones I took home with me.
posted by ccap at 9:49 AM
3 Comments:
What a wonderful tribute! And you're right: a list of thirteen still doesn't do it justice.
Frick! Why did I have to read this when I am STARVING!! Now anything I go pickup for lunch will totally suck! All I want is some of those delicious buns and soup. Sigh.
Oh yeah. Couldn't agree more. And then there's the dill pickles. And beet pickles. And bread and butter pickles. And roasted chicken. I could go on...
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