Relish Cooking

Meals shouldn’t always be just about the food. Quality fare has its pleasurable benefits, don’t get me wrong. Indulging in a fine cut of tenderloin or traveling to a farmer’s market for the freshest fruit requires passion, to be sure, but there is so much more to our daily refueling than superior ingredients. For example, there is history to just about everything we eat...fascinating facts about the countries and people where our food comes from, how they prepare and eat their food as well as what else they do at their meal…and it would only require a few minutes to uncover (and share) some of this with your family! Next time you serve Chinese food, consider a bit of table trivia by having everyone guess how many languages there are in China (236) or how the Chinese eat their meals (with spoons, bowls and squared chopsticks – Japanese chopsticks are rounded – and never with a fork or knife – bad luck!) This simple fun can bring you a bit closer to another world while enjoying their culture’s cuisine

Two years ago, my entire family came together as we cared for our mother, who became ill with cancer. Mom and dad moved in with us, and quickly our home became the hub. Suddenly, “family night” was a more of a daily celebration, and cooking became so much more than just a chore…meal-duties were carried out with pride, enthusiasm and great thought. Mondays and Wednesdays, my brother, his wife and kids would come armed with fresh-baked breads and pastas, on Tuesdays and Saturdays my twin sisters usually came bearing delicious restaurant take-out. And of course, the other days were my golden opportunity to test new ideas and recipes on a dozen unsuspecting culinary victims.

It was a huge honor for us to do the care-giving during this time; but, a mother is always a mother, and one day, ours pulled a fast one! It wasn’t easy, but she managed to host an Indian-style evening for us, covering every detail.

First she ordered piles of delectable foreign delights from our dear friend Praveen at Irvine’s Clay Oven…from Rice Pilau and Naan to Chicken Tikka Masala and Aloo Gobi with a sauce so spicy some still suffer collateral damage. Next, during dinner, a little Indian Q & A, and finally, we experienced a bit of “Baliwood.” Mom had carefully chosen a movie that the entire family had so much fun watching, I have no choice but to recommend it (Lagaan). In fact, I am recommending that you try this entire evening with your family! Kids can discover a bit of culture, your palettes will be opened to new and exotic, but REALLY pleasing flavors, and who can resist enjoying entertainment suitable for the young and old, which is all too rare these days.

That evening we all laughed, ate great food, and someone even announced that chess, algebra and trigonometry all originated in India. Then a fine cinematic moment topped off the evening as we crowded in the darkened living room together. It was an experience we’ll remember for years to come, and one that we have our mom to thank for.