But for those that do, I would like to say "thank you". I've often wondered why I love food so much, but as my orbit (among other things) has expanded, I find that others share my transports of delight over fresh artichokes, new season's broad beans, and other simple pleasures of this sort.
It all started with my Mama, who had strict rules about food. The main one was "never cook the same meal twice within a month". I can remember being shocked at primary school to discover that a dear friend of mine had a fixed menu that rotated each WEEK! She knew exactly when she'd have mince, F and Cs, sausages and so on. Better than starving - but only just.
We had enormous variety - fresh lamb sweetbreads, toad-in-the-hole, whole sole, rabbit casserole, roast lamb/hogget/pork; I could go on and on - and vegetables and fruit either grown in the home garden or bartered from local market gardeners. Always a pudding - and if it was just ice cream there would be stewed fruit presented with it as a "package deal" (much to my disgust - especially if it was stewed pears).
What mother, or father come to that, has the time these days for all that meal planning and preparation? My children don't get anything like the same variety as I did. I bet they wouldn't thank me if I suddenly started serving up a wild and wonderful menu, either; they're a fussy lot. But every now and then they discover something that I should have fed them long ago - I love to see them hoovering up good food with joy.
So to friends who cook for me - thank you! and to those who don't - it's never too late to start! Ha ha!
