Have you ever noticed that people really love the things that you and I might think simple?

M

mistral

Well-known member
Potato/ ricer thread above got me thinking: people, especially non-family people really love simple stuff done well, like mashed potatoes from scratch or fresh pico de gallo, or a coffee cake. Simple stuff, easy to do well with just a little practice, but boy do people love it.

Made some kinda piroski (sp?) dumplings one year for a daughter's class's "heritage" lunch/feast (family was invited). Stuffed them with potatoes (mashed lightly) and sauteed cabbage and garlic, used won-ton skins for the wrappers, cooked them, tossed them in onion butter--the kids would not touch, but the parents inhaled them and wanted more. Same thing the time I made 10lbs mashed potatoes for a school Thanksgiving dinner, but on this the kids pitched in a chowed down as well.

I guess more people than I thought really don't cook anymore. ..

 
I have a lot of friends who cook but many who don't and they think something simple, like making a

roast chicken dinner, is some sort of miracle and praise me to the skies for what I consider a easy thing. I think people are so intimidated by cooking, like a backfire of all these cooking shows and competitions, they think it's all too hard and too much work. Then they go to the grocery store and can't think what to make and get lured into the premade stuff or frozen stuff, so expensive and I think is mostly like junk food. It's an interesting phenomenon. I showed someone how to roast a chicken, and they were really surprised. he said, "really, that's all you have to do?" yes.... that is IT.

 
I don't know anyone (outside of sister & daughter) who cook or bake. Makes it easy to please smileys/smile.gif

 
Although I find it extremely sad and a whole new generation that can hardly boil water.

It's like with sewing. Hardly anyone does anymore - I don't know a single person - yet it was a required class when I was in school.

 
I also sewed most of my clothes and those for my children

for years. I am saddened to say that I have given my sewing machine away, so I am now in the non-sewer category.

As for cooking and baking, it constantly amazes me how blown away so many people are by the everyday (for me anyway) things I produce.

 
I've ALWAYS suspected the chocolate cream pies I buy at the store were higher in calories than the

ones I made at home. Damned processed foods! (Shaking fist lamely!) ;>)

 
I don't sew and have always disliked it since having to make a circle skirt in Girl

Scouts many, many years ago. I even have had the lady at the dry cleaners change buttons on a sweater for me. But as for cooking my granddaughters ages 17 and 15 are accomplished bakers and their brother age 9 is coming along. My daughter only wishes they would show as much interest in making meals. She too is a good cook but busy, like all working mothers. My son, also busy with a demanding job is the good cook in his family. They both enjoy good food and fresh, organic basics. I don't see any cooking decline in my family or of some other families I am close too. They seem to love to try new things, grill a lot, have parties and enjoy food as I do.

 
Sewing, Cooking, and Potato Ricers

I grew up in a home where my grandmother, my mother, and her friends, me and the daughter of one of the friends all gathered and sewed and cooked. My Mother made all of my clothes including evening dresses. Even when I married, my Mother-in-law sewed for me. More importantly than the actual sewing or the cooking, was the joy and love that came from the time with their friends.

I haven’t sewed in many years even though I bought a new sewing machine not long after I retired. It hasn’t been used. Good intentions, but now I can’t imagine sewing alone. That seems wrong.

Even cooking has changed. I have the desire, but cooking for two including one who is picky and eats very little is more difficult. I throw out more than we eat. Our social life is not as active in retirement.

p.s. I have two potato ricers!

 
I was chatting with a gal today who has spent many years in Germany. She commented that she gained

20 lbs when she returned to the states and attributed it to the processed food she consumed here.. Who knows, but it was an interesting observation.

 
Cooking, sewing, knitting, quilting in my oldest and fondest memories

The neighborhood ladies got together each year to make and freeze apple pies, peach preserves, strawberry preserves, and fruitcakes. My Mom taught me how to sew and I sewed everything I wore for many years- even tailored a suit and dress shirt (and tie!) for my ex husband. All my prom dresses and gowns- even my own wedding dress. Curtains, all kinds of things. I knit a sweater for every boyfriend I ever had and to this day my Sister still quilts- so beautifully it makes me weep.

I cook a lot and everything is from scratch but it only seems normal to me. I don't sew a lot anymore but am so thankful I know how.

 
I have been a sewer, knitter and cook ever since I was in my teens.

Aran sweaters were knitted for every member of my family over the years. More recently I don't do much knitting or sewing except to repair an article. Cooking does not need to be complicated to be delicious and nutritious. Ian and I limit our visits to restaurants to control our salt intake.

 
After a short ponder, most of my friends are good cooks who prepare meals from scratch. A few take

shortcuts and buy pre marinated meats but always accompany them with fresh veggies.

 
I have told people I should have been a 40s or 50s farm wife with the things

I enjoy & that make me happy. Cooking, baking, canning, and I am absolutely loving quilting since I started taking classes this year. I made a lot of my own clothes growing up. Still remember a a Grecian-inspired gown from a Vogue pattern for a school dance. I made my own wedding cake too.

 
And portion size. I sat across from a young couple with 2 small kids on a boat ride up

the Thames. Mom doled out "half" sandwiches to each of them plus 1/4 of an apple. The sandwich was a dark bread with a single slice of cheese. Every one of them looked slender and healthy. I'll bet they'd be appalled at the the obscene portion size in America.

 
If you live near a military base, there are groups that sew special pillows and small quilts for the

children of deployed servicepeople. its quite a nice group of people and small enough projects to make you feel like you can actually finish something. they try to incorporate photos of the loved ones onto the fabric for the comfort quilts/pillows. I also make totebags for kids going to Foster Care and small quilts for teddy bears that we give to shelters and the police to give out when needed.
Just mentioning these projects if anyone wants to dust off their sewing machines for some small projects. you don't have to jump in and make full size quilts or clothes again. I would shrivel up or worse, become really cranky if I couldn't do some sewing every week. it's my happy place.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top