I Should Have Been..

I should have been an Italian Grandmother.

Why do I always want to feed people? My mom wasn't the greatest cook. She could cook when she wanted to, she just never wanted to. My grandmother (on my father's side) was a good cook - but she could only make a handful of things. I knew that on every trip, I'd get her chicken salad, her sweet & sour meatballs, and her chicken soup. My grandmother on my mothers side, must not have been much of a cook at all, I can't remember ever eating anything other than breakfast at her apartment.

So, where does my need to cook for other people come in?

As I write this, I've got glazed pecans wrapped up and ready to go, mushroom-pastry puffs cooling down and orange merringue cookies in the oven. This is all to take to a party, where I am a guest.

Tomorrow, I've invited people for dinner - I don't know how many yet are coming, but at this point, there is going to be somewhere between 6 - 9 people for dinner. Only three live here.

I am never more at ease then when I'm cooking, unless it's after the first tase test, and I know that people are enjoying it. I think that's the key, I only like to cook for people who appreciate it. They get nourishment from my food, I get nourishment from their compliments and yummy noises.

Once upon a time, I considered making food my career. I changed my mind when I realized that it took what I loved to do for me, cooking, and turned it into work. Maybe I missed my calling, maybe I could have been the next Gordon Ramsey. Nah... I'll stick with what I do - make people tasty, healthy, meals and snacks.

Maybe one of my kids will pick it up from there... then I can sit back and make yummy noises.