Food for Thought

Check out this article from Slate about young gourmads:

This article has me reminiscing about summer vacations long ago. In addition to being a complete nerd and attempting to read every single book in the children section of the local library, I also spent my summers in the kitchen, happily preparing lunches for my parents. I have two very clear memories of these “lunches.” One, I was absolutely terrified of my parents stove, an old restaurant gas range that required matches to light the burners. I remember standing on a stool, gas turned up high, tossing lit matches into the range, hoping one would catch. This went on until my dad caught me (I guess the smell of gas throughout the house gave me away) and we stood there practicing proper lighting techniques until I got over my fear of lighting my arm on fire. I think there were some tears involved in this process.

My second memory is that my parents very kindly ate canned soup throughout the summer, as this was a staple in my cooking repertoire. I think I might have made a sandwich to go with the soup (chicken and stars, my favorite) or at least some cheese and crackers. I also discovered, on a trip to the library that summer, a cookbook geared towards children. Most of the recipes were pretty basic but I remember being enchanted with the recipe (requiring parental assistance) for a roast chicken. Thus began my love affair with cookbooks and, more importantly, the enjoyment I derive from preparing a meal.

So, back to this article. I am all for kids learning how to fend for themselves in the kitchen but we live in a world where there are way too many gadgets and access to exotic ingredients and not enough lessons in simplicity and starting with the basics. The Food Network and Celebrity Chefs phenomenon has taken over what can be one of the most simple pleasures, putting together a meal for your loved ones.

No longer afraid of stoves..............