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View Full Version : Sharing cool moment in my culinary progress


KValley
06-07-2001, 10:17 AM
I am really tickled by something that happened earlier this week and I wanted to share with you all, who understand.

My best friend from college and a friend of hers came to visit for a couple of days earlier this week. Because of careers which have taken us to the opposite ends of the US and at times, the world, my girl friend and I have seen each other only three times in the past 9 years- the last time was in '96.

Monday night I made dinner for the four of us (DH included). It was very simple fare: the Warm Pasta Salad with Arugula and Goat Cheese from the recent Lunch Salads for Kim thread: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/007913.html
, spinach salad, fresh bread, great wine, and Vegetable Heaven's Apricot-Almond tart for dessert. My friend is a vegetarian and a very picky one at that (can you imagine being a vegetarian and not liking broccoli, asparagus, soy, brown rice- what does this girl eat??), so I listened carefully a couple of weeks ago when we were on holiday together to catch her preferred foods - arugula and goat cheese were at the top of her list, so this was the perfect recipe.

At one point during the meal, she turned to me and said "I can't believe how good this all is- Julie, you've become this wonderful cook and I didn't even know! Can you believe that we're all grown up now, with non-stick cookware and expensive knives!" Then we laughed over our college days when gourmet cooking consisted of an enormous pot of pasta, sauce from a jar, cheap wine, bread from the Safeway bakery.

It just made me all warm and fuzzy inside to have an old friend see a different side of me and to realize I was giving her a gift of love in cooking for her. It certainly wasn't a feast, but I took such pleasure in the preparation and creation of the mood and moment.

Thanks to CL and this BB for giving me the confidence and inspiration to spread my culinary wings http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

JLS
06-07-2001, 10:25 AM
KValley: Did you also note to your friend that you have been published in Cookinglight???

browneye
06-07-2001, 10:35 AM
Julie-
How COOL! What fun that must have been.
It sounds like an excellent menu! Did you bake the bread too?

I can understand how you feel, last year after my mom had surgery for breast cancer in Spokane, I cooked a meal at my sister's house and took it over to my mom and stepdad's house. I haven't lived there since '88 so I have rarely cooked for them in 12-13 years! I put the dinner in the frig for them to reheat later and drove home. Later that evening, my mom called and raved and said "Jim (stepdad) said I knew Paula was a good cook, but I didn't know she was THAT good"
It is such a good feeling to do something out of love for someone else, even the small things.

SO- I can relate to your joy!! Don't you wish you had more frequent opportunities to do that? I sure do. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Mamasue
06-07-2001, 10:42 AM
*giving you a hug and pat on the back with a kiss* http://mamasue52.homestead.com/files/smiley_kiss.gif

It does make you feel so nice inside when someone appreciates what you do for them. We all love to show our love in our cooking and it does wonders. Thanks for sharing your story.

Wendy w
06-07-2001, 10:44 AM
That's cool, thank you for telling us Julie!

KValley
06-07-2001, 01:13 PM
Originally posted by JLS:
KValley: Did you also note to your friend that you have been published in Cookinglight???

aaah, no. Felt too goofy http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif

Paula- I didn't bake the bread- I leave that to the experts! (for the moment, anyway- it's on my list, along with nailing down a decent pie crust! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif)

kima
06-07-2001, 02:05 PM
I'll put it down to "that time of the month" but your story brought tears to my eyes. I often send food to my 93 year old MIL and the grateful look in her eyes makes me feel so good!! It is such a wonderful way of saying "I love you- here is a part of me". Food for the soul. Thankyou for sharing Julie.

http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gifMaureen