Simple Things

"I think I'm going to start drinking beer. I see people having a beer with a sandwich, and it just looks so refreshing!"

-Dorothy Toobert, Age 87

That is a verbatim quote from my Bubie,(Jewish grandmother,for the goyim) Dorothy Toobert. She's no longer with us, but her delightful life commentary is.

AnonyMouse and I were having a picnic dinner on our roof the other night, when this particular quote popped into my head. I have no idea why, but apparently the combination of the breeze, the view, and the pasta salad reminded me of Bubie.

While she was a complex woman, her cooking was extremely simple and delicious. She mastered her basics and nobody tired of them. Chocolate mousse, matzoh bowling balls, and chicken soup were Dorothy's greatest hits.

I also have the simple cooking sensibility. This is never to be confused with a Semi-Homemade sensibility. I did not grow up that way, and I feel for anyone who reaches for a jar of chopped garlic. I just enjoy cooking with less than 30 ingredients and chopping my own garlic.

It's fun to build on my repertoire of basics using the foods I loved as a template. Living with an adventurous eater helps. AnonyMouse has pushed me to try new foods, and he's a great and honest guinea pig. Who knew that baby bok choy sauteed in garlic and fresh ginger would become one of my favorite vegetables? Bubie, for one,but that's besides the point.

Sometimes simple things like a home picnic, a beer with a sandwich, or believing someone when they tell you that bok choy will be good are all that matters.

Three Simple Pleasures Paired With Three Simply Guilty Pleasures
Watching Lost and watching Lost on DVD
Morning coffee and calling in sick while drinking morning coffee
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and reading Us Magazine while eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups