The day before we took a hit from the now infamous Hurricane Irene, I cooked up a storm. We always lose power, and somehow Weber grilling under torrential rains doesn't appeal to me. We brought Mom here, to keep her safe from the anticipated wild weather. One of my dishes was inspired by leftover Chinese... steamed veggies and chicken. Trader Joe's light coconut milk, a product I'd never before used, was put to good use to create a delicious quiche. Of course, I made my favorite thin crust, before piling in the filling that also included Laughing Cow Light, eggs and herbs. What a delicious treat for Mom 'n' moi. Joe would starve before he'd eat this concoction.
Afterwards, I served 86% dark chocolate in a dish that I'd not used in ages, though it has been in my possession for over 40 years. When I put it on the island, Mom exclaimed,
"Oh, my G-d! I haven't seen that dish in years. When I was a little girl, it was our cheese dish and we always had to keep it full. And see this little cutout? We always kept a spoon in the dish."
I'd always loved that little piece and remember Gran using it whenever we had pasta, which was very often. When she sold the bungalow, it came home with me and Joe.
So, it's just a dish, right? Ah, but it is a treasure trove of memories. Mom and I did the math. We guesstimate its age to be well over 100 years, as it was brought from Gran's city home to the bungalow.
You're probably wondering why it's not housing our favorite cheese, grated Pecorino Romano. Did you notice that there was none sprinkled on my quiche? Sad news is, we no longer indulge. It's the high salt content we can no longer afford. But we kind of enjoy the candy substitution... it keeps us singin' in the rain.
Here's to sweetened sunshine... and joy for those whose past is currently a lot more vivid than the occasionally muddled present. ♥
