09 September 2007

the small things: crock full o goodness

One of the joys of my new home has been the return to sharing meals with people I love. I don’t think this can be underrated in the great scheme of things – particularly connecting with + enjoying life. The days of egg-on-toast-for-one are over… for the time being at least. And what a blessing to live with two people who value the same things. I’ve had to fight to even find a place in the kitchen over the last few weeks. More often than not tea is planned before we part company in the morning + we’re haggling over who’s going to wear the chef’s hat. Could have something to do with the household make-up – one long-term foodie, one nutritionist + one big-eating routine-lover. All interested in what we put in, how good it tastes + the impacts it has. It’s possible that I’ve never eaten better!

The other benefit of a shared approach is that we learn from each other. Ethan mentioned that he was keen to get a crock pot + I recoiled. My strongest association with crock pots is the stuff that got served up in stale vol-au-vent cases at family functions. Sloppy grey muck, passing itself off as chicken + mushroom, after having had the bejesus cooked out of it. No flavour, no texture, no fun. It’s important to allow yourself to reverse positions though, + I’m doing just that. Over the last week we’ve soaked up soupy goodness from the pot-o-love. Chicken + vegie + pea + ham. This morning I’m making use of the said-same slow-cooking equipment to stew up a big pot of beans. Smells of tomato, thyme, pepper + garlic are seeping into the house + making me feel glad to be alive. Cooking is serious therapy for my soul + I need to remember that.

Tonight we’ll sit around the table + review our weekends, laugh a lot, listen to good music. I might serve the beans with warm tortillas + salad. Hopefully Sal will drop round from next door – it’s her crock pot + she deserves a share. Tomorrow night Carolyn + Jen will be here + we’ll do it all again. And it will feel like home + family, just like good friendships do.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

tagine is just a funny shaped crock-pot i guess. same principles involved!

Claire said...

Oh yeh, but a tagine's got street cred! And it's beautiful to look at. The crock pot is a pretty dire 70s throw-back in comparison.

Your lamb tagine was sensational! Yummo scrummo.

Mind you, my beans were pretty damn good yesterday. Even if I do say so myself.