Food is an amazing thing. I was watching Iron Chef America the other night and they were cooking with peas. It struck me how many foods are out there and how many ways they can be cooked. Last year for homeschooling we studied George Washington Carver. As a honor and to glorify God Carver searched for the many uses of the peanut. He found thousands, just by focusing all his attention, energy, talent and focus on the tiny, seemingly insignifcant peanut.
But isn't that how God is? He's planted, in the seemingly insignificant, magnificence.
I love food, and it shows. I think of food combinations and plan menus while daydreaming. I turn to the food network whenever I can and I dream of a holiday in Italy, attending cooking school after cooking school up and down the boot.
Yesterday I "invented" a new bread recipe. I'm calling it "real coffee cake". It's basically a sweet bread made with coffee and filled with nutella. It was a hit and if I do say so myself, might good.
Today was a different day. Inspired by a commercial I wanted to make crab cakes. Well, crab is not available in little ole Sparta but mock crab is! I pulled out a recipe from Emeril Lagasse. Instead of the triumphant, self-satisfied mood of yesterday I found myself getting more and more irritated (yelling at the kids, biting Dave's head off). The recipe wasn't working. My crab cakes became crap cakes. I told Dave to order pizza. Well, loving husband that he is, Dave reminded me that even Babe Ruth didn't bat 1000 every time.
Yet, I am still in awe of God's creativeness. He could have given us basic food (like the stuff they eat in Zion in the Matrix, ugh!). But NO!
And every culture uses each food uniquely. How many ways can you cook apples. Think of it...put them in oatmeal, eat them raw with peanut butter, stuff them in pork tenderloin, and apple pie (how many ways are there to make apple pie!). And then again...think how many types of apples there are. Again, God keeps giving more and more of his creative deliciousness.
One of my most favorite passages is Isaiah 25:6
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich foods for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine- the best of meats and the finest wines.
Oh, what a glorious day to look forward to. I'm sure there will be no crap cakes!
3 comments:
Well do I remember the Christmas feasts Barb would host for her pathetic single friends back in the day. The desserts were varied and delicious, and the Bird's Custard flowed like a river.
I also recall my kids reaction to her yummy, but strange to them, pizza. Picking up an artichoke heart from her slice of pizza, my daughter asked, "What this? I thought we were having pizza." Or something like that.
And then there's the brioche, but that's another story.
Shane
You are such a clever girl, and not only do you have a way with food, but you have a wonderful way with words.
Does Nutella or its corporate owner have a bake off of some kind? You should enter your recipe, or enter the recipe in the Better Homes & Gardens or Pillsbury bake off. I know you'd win. I got a feeling about you, kid!
Valerie
I remember meeting someone almost 20 years ago whom I did not know at the time but who knew my son. He also knew the girl David was dating. When I asked what she was like his first comment was, "she's a fabulous cook". That she was and continues to be. I know of no other home I'd rather go to for the food...and to see our four grandchildren. You are an inspiration at how comfortable and creative you are. You try new things all the time and don't necessarily wait for company. Consequently your family (most of them anyway) enjoy and know about "good food". In a day when so many families do not eat together or when they do it is "carryin". I am thankful for the tradition of sitting down at a table together with good food prepared by mom and sometimes dad and now even the kids are contributing.
I'm very thankful for you Barbie and all that you have brought to our family....there's so much more than the food ....that's just the frosting!!!
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