With the busyness of the holidays behind us, I am so looking forward to my husband's turkey dinner for two. He had already gotten us through several family brunches and lunches without my having to lift a finger in the kitchen. My dear man has become quite a good cook in his older years, and unlike my attempts at cooking for company, his time management always aligns well with the consequent presentation and flavors of whatever he prepares. I can't taste any fear in his cooking, and I told him so. He laughed because he knows exactly what I'm talking about. When I cook for anyone other than him, my lack of confidence, along with a large portion of stress, seems to drip out of my fingers, onto the spoon or spatula, and into the bowl or pan. It's evident to anyone who's watching. Even if it ends up tasting good, I can barely eat my food made for others. It's not comforting to me; it tastes like fear. Afterwards, I'm exhausted and still hungry. So this year, my husband did the cooking while I got to spend time with our loved ones. Instead of talking with my face over the stove, we enjoyed eye-contact. I was able to pay attention to what was being said rather than to what was being burned. I didn't mind doing the dishes later, because it gave me time to reflect, and that was comforting.
Perhaps someday my cooking skills will improve. I'm sure that if you love to cook, you probably feel a little bit sorry for me. What kind of a nut doesn't enjoy serving up portions of love on a plate for her family? I wish I had an answer to that. One thing I do know is this: as long as my husband enjoys cooking large meals, I will gratefully eat them. Ahhhh.....the smell of turkey.............
The picture above is called, "Beach Blessings III". I'm using it again today because my husband is such a blessing to me.
