Welcome To My Kitchen

I come from a long maternal line of “non-cookers”.  My mom could only cook homemade biscuits, albeit the best biscuits I’ve ever tasted.  Everything else we ate came from a can or the frozen food section.  My grandmother’s cooking was mediocre at best.  As a matter of fact, I think I’ve blocked out most of her cooking.  I loved my grandmother and she provided the nutritional needs of eight kids and eighteen grandchildren.  She provided our nutritional needs; but not our cravings.

It wasn’t until recently that I became interested in cooking.  With a new marriage, a woman gets a new sense of femininity.  And, with that newfound femininity, you have the urge to explore all aspects of being a woman, both old and new.  The maternal instincts kick in; and you want to provide for, nurture, and comfort your family.  Falling in love with my husband also made me fall in love with cooking.

I love to plan and prep for a meal.  I love thinking of my audience and the mood I want to set.  I love finding the perfect Spotify soundtrack to blare in the kitchen as I dance around the stove.  And I absolutely love watching people take that first bite of something I’ve made just for them!  There really is no comparison to the high you get when you can visually see the little moment of joy you’ve given someone with your cooking.

A good meal is more than just some ingredients thrown together.  A good meal is an expression of love.   Thought goes into it. A good meal takes and evokes feeling.  And a very good meal will serve as a memory trigger and a source of comfort and reflection during the hard times.  You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I found myself down and out while living on the coast, just thinking to myself, ‘I could really use one of my Aunt Tammy’s chili and slaw burgers.’  Mind you, the burger literally consisted of mayonnaise, cabbage and chili.  But it wasn’t the ingredients I needed so badly.  It was the feeling of comfort that I felt being in my Aunt Tammy’s kitchen, playing dominoes with my cousins, eating a chili burger and fries.

So that’s what brings me to this new chapter in my life.  Once I discovered the “art” of cooking; and the power of a good meal, I  realized that food , much like music, and transcending.  Everyone, despite race, religious or political affiliation, loves some good ass food!

Because food equals happiness, I want to explore its depths; and share it with you.  Here, I will share your recipes and memories and try to bring as much comfort and happiness to the world as my Aunt Tammy’s 3-ingredient chili/slaw burger does for me!

So…. Welcome to my kitchen and welcome to “If This Kitchen Could Talk”.

I come from a long maternal line of “non-cookers”.  My mom could only cook homemade biscuits, albeit the best biscuits I’ve ever tasted.  Everything else we ate came from a can or the frozen food section.  My grandmother’s cooking was mediocre at best.  As a matter of fact, I think I’ve blocked out most of her cooking.  I loved my grandmother and she provided the nutritional needs of eight kids and eighteen grandchildren.  She provided our nutritional needs; but not our cravings.

It wasn’t until recently that I became interested in cooking.  With a new marriage, a woman gets a new sense of femininity.  And, with that newfound femininity, you have the urge to explore all aspects of being a woman, both old and new.  The maternal instincts kick in; and you want to provide for, nurture, and comfort your family.  Falling in love with my husband also made me fall in love with cooking.

I love to plan and prep for a meal.  I love thinking of my audience and the mood I want to set.  I love finding the perfect Spotify soundtrack to blare in the kitchen as I dance around the stove.  And I absolutely love watching people take that first bite of something I’ve made just for them!  There really is no comparison to the high you get when you can visually see the little moment of joy you’ve given someone with your cooking.

A good meal is more than just some ingredients thrown together.  A good meal is an expression of love.   Thought goes into it. A good meal takes and evokes feeling.  And a very good meal will serve as a memory trigger and a source of comfort and reflection during the hard times.  You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I found myself down and out while living on the coast, just thinking to myself, ‘I could really use one of my Aunt Tammy’s chili and slaw burgers.’  Mind you, the burger literally consisted of mayonnaise, cabbage and chili.  But it wasn’t the ingredients I needed so badly.  It was the feeling of comfort that I felt being in my Aunt Tammy’s kitchen, playing dominoes with my cousins, eating a chili burger and fries.

So that’s what brings me to this new chapter in my life.  Once I discovered the “art” of cooking; and the power of a good meal, I  realized that food , much like music, and transcending.  Everyone, despite race, religious or political affiliation, loves some good ass food!

Because food equals happiness, I want to explore its depths; and share it with you.  Here, I will share your recipes and memories and try to bring as much comfort and happiness to the world as my Aunt Tammy’s 3-ingredient chili/slaw burger does for me!

So…. Welcome to my kitchen and welcome to “If This Kitchen Could Talk”.

Just remember one rule- spread love; and put your dirty dishes in the sink!

Published by LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE RAINBOW

As a poor kid growing up in the Mississippi Delta, there was never alot of hope or many opportunities. But, for 30 minutes, if I could sit in front of my tv, I could go anywhere and be anything through the magic of Reading Rainbow. That show brought so much light into some really dark days; and I carried the lessons I learned through the storytelling of Lavar Burton for all my life. Now that I am a grandmother, I've come to realize the significance of Reading Rainbow and the role it played in making me the woman I am today. I feel that the cruelty in this world has hardened my heart against the hope and valorous spirit that I once had. I am hoping that by revisiting Reading Rainbow; and the stories covered over its expansive reign on Public Access Television, I will regain the love for life and craving for adventure that the little girl growing up on Hunter Road had over 40 years ago.

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