A few days into my exciting new adventure in blogging, Michael pointed out, "You have 2 pictures of food on your blog and only 1 picture of 1 child. What does that say about you?"
It could say a lot of things. It could say that I'm not afraid that foodie stalkers will come after me (true). It could say I love food and 1 of my children (not entirely true - I love food and both my children). It could say that it's easier to capture food looking good on camera than it is to capture both boys looking good on camera (perhaps the truest of all): "Ethan, look at me and say cheese. Take the blanket off Scott's face. Now smile, no, take the blanket off his face. PLEASE TAKE THE BLANKET OFF HIS FACE!"
I do love food. A few years into our marriage, Michael and I realized that where his family talks about BYU football, my family talks about food. This was a big aha moment for us. Now I just smile on game day when he calls his dad and brothers 4 or 5 times to say things like, "Go BYU!" "Did you see that pass?" "Are you listening to the halftime report?" "Go BYU!" "Go Cougars!" I understand now that they are speaking their own special language.
Instead of getting bored listening to Michael's end of the conversation, I call my bro in Chicago. After the initial greetings, the conversation almost always turns to food (except lately, when we sometimes discuss blogs). "Guess what we ate last night?" "Guess what Christy made this morning?" "Guess what we're making for lunch?"
Michael's brother lived with my brother Neal for a time and in talking to Michael, Shaun passed along something that he had noticed. Much to my delight, Neal displays our family's classic conversation pattern of focusing on food. Where Shaun would say, "I had a sandwich for lunch", Neal would say, "Oh, I had a sandwich made with honey-cured ham on toasted rye bread covered with spicy brown mustard, a slice of swiss cheese, some lettuce, tomatoes, and a nice, crispy dill pickle on the side. And I made some limeade to go with it. "
We learned this from our parents. When Mom and Dad report on events, vacations, wedding receptions, or other social gatherings, they bring up the food first. Down to the details. Last year, they traveled alone together (haha) to a warm Caribbean island. They came back ranting and raving about their meal at a particular restaurant, how their waiter had been incredibly polite and well-timed, how the flavors and textures of the food were perfectly complimentary, etc etc
I think this ties back to my mom's excellent cooking. Her cooking is healthy, delicious, and abundant. Her kitchen is like a promised land, as Ben proclaims, "She has EVERYTHING there!" Growing up, we always had hot breakfast together before seminary and we always had dinner together. She didn't tell us every day that she loved us, but she showed us by feeding us (and doing a host of other things as well). I associate food with love.
Which explains why I felt so personally rejected when my toddler turned his nose up at things I made for him to eat! Ding ding ding!
Well, it's time for me to show some love and get dinner going for my boys.
3 comments:
Go BYU err... I mean I love you er... maybe I should go cook you something.
And do you know what we are eating for dinner tonight? MMMM Ben's making tortilla soup, with lime, cilantro, a heady rush of dried ancho peppers blended with jalapeno pepper, and his own home-made tortilla chips. I'm contributing scones with lavendar honey-butter and not one but TWO fresh variations on apple pie. Variation A is a glorious mixture of apples, blueberries, orange peel and spices. Variation B is a rustic tart with almond paste, apples, lemon, caramelized sugar and mmmmm vanilla scented cream. Now how did I end up in your family?
:)
Erin, I loved this note. Mostly because it's so true, but also because you managed to work in why mom always got upset when we didn't eat what she made AND the phrase "alone together." Have a great sabbath!
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