46/365: Pounding the Dough

Watching this scene unfold brought back great memories. We had Thanksgiving Dinner at my in-laws' home. My mother-in-law brought up the dough for the rolls and got Bella a stool. She had a great time pounding it down and later pulling pieces off and putting it in the pan.

My mom was not and is not a cook. She made meals for us when we were kids, but it always seemed like such a chore for her. And consequently, the food tasted like it was a chore for her. I learned to cook and bake from three very special women: Maama, Granny Fauerbach, and Aunt Lou. All three loved to cook and included me in the work in the kitchen. I spent a lot of time on a stool, mixing batters, rolling dough, and drying dishes. I learned lots of tricks and tips that can't be learned by reading cookbooks. More than that, I developed a love of cooking. I hope my kids develop that same fondness.

30/365: Dinner's On!

Tonight's dinner, red beans and rice, is one of my favorite meals. I grew up in a home where meals were prepared fast, not a lot of thought or care in the preparation, just get it on the table hot. Some of that was because my mom didn't plan our meals in advance and some was because she does not like to cook, either way it showed in what we got. I learned how to cook from three phenomenal women, Granny F, Maama, and Aunt Lou. All three were what I would label country cooks, basic meat and potato meals that always ended with a something sweet.

I was in my mid 20s before I started really experimenting with eating and cooking. Up until that point, I would never try something new in a restaurant and would only to go to chains if I was travelling. I discovered that I loved Cajun cuisine around that time. It became a mission of mine to learn how to cook the staples-- etouffee, jambalaya, gumbo, and red beans & rice. In the late 90s I spent a lot of time in NOLA and learned as much as I could by visiting diners and talking to local cooks. I read voraciously and experimented. I went back to New Orleans several years ago and was anxious to see how I had progressed. My verdict is that I'm getting there. I can make a rue without burning it and I no longer use a recipe for most of my Cajun dishes. I go by memory and taste. No only if I could get crawfish more readily . . .