Story Week 5: Saturday Meal
"If I go to the grocery store around 11:00 I can take my time and won't have to rush. When I get home I should have some time, but I'll need to start prepping the vegetables around 12:30," I thought as I lay in bed trying to sleep. I've always enjoyed planning out how a meal will go. That way things don't get chaotic or stressful while I'm cooking because what's the point if it isn't any fun. "How should I cut the carrots? Rounds or chunks? I think the chunks will be better. It's going to cook for a while, and he likes carrots. Then it'll be about 1:00 or 1:30 when I'm ready to start searing the meat and sautéing the vegetables."
"Do I have enough wine to cook with? I'll have to stop into the liquor store, too. Ok if I stick to this everything should be ready around 7."
"Love you babe good night."
The next morning I woke up for a lazy Saturday. One of the rare weekends without any projects around the house that needed to be completed. In fact for the first time since we moved in nearly a year ago all the woodwork was painted, all the doorways had doors ... that worked, all the floors had permanent flooring. The house was finally all in one piece! After we worked so hard together planning and doing the work it was finally done.
With no projects to work on I was able to enjoy a cup of coffee before leisurely browsing the grocery store for ingredients that could inspire future recipes to make for my partner and me. Cooking is one way that I show my affection for him, and I love to find ways to blend our tastes into one dish that makes us both happy and healthy.
Once I had all the ingredients I needed I headed home to start my prep.
People say that food tastes better when it's cooked with love, and I wholeheartedly agree. For me the love comes into the process when I take the time to do right (or at least as close to right as I can). So, I carefully trim the fat from the roast, making sure to leave just enough to keep the meat juicy but not enough so that it gets greasy. I meticulously cut all the vegetables to a similar size so that they cook evenly. I do all of this so that we can enjoy the best possible meal together.
It takes a few hours once everything is in the oven, but once it's ready there's nothing better than sitting across from the one you love and enjoying a meal together.
Author's Note:
This story is inspired by the scene in Sita Sings the Blues after Sita asks Rama to capture the golden deer and she is alone in their hut singing about her love for Rama. At this point in the film Sita has followed her husband Rama into exile to live a simple life in the forest. She sees a beautiful golden deer, which is really an evil rakshasa in disguise, and begs her husband to capture it for her. While he is pursuing the deer Sita sings the song "What Wouldn't I Do For That Man" to express her love for Rama.
I was inspired by that scene to write a story about how I feel cooking for my partner. Cooking for us is something I usually do alone at home , and for me preparing food for someone is a way to show my love for them like Sita's song about Rama.
Bibliography. Nina Paley, Sita Sings the Blues, Source.
"Do I have enough wine to cook with? I'll have to stop into the liquor store, too. Ok if I stick to this everything should be ready around 7."
"Love you babe good night."
Mise en Place by David Huang via flickr
The next morning I woke up for a lazy Saturday. One of the rare weekends without any projects around the house that needed to be completed. In fact for the first time since we moved in nearly a year ago all the woodwork was painted, all the doorways had doors ... that worked, all the floors had permanent flooring. The house was finally all in one piece! After we worked so hard together planning and doing the work it was finally done.
With no projects to work on I was able to enjoy a cup of coffee before leisurely browsing the grocery store for ingredients that could inspire future recipes to make for my partner and me. Cooking is one way that I show my affection for him, and I love to find ways to blend our tastes into one dish that makes us both happy and healthy.
Once I had all the ingredients I needed I headed home to start my prep.
People say that food tastes better when it's cooked with love, and I wholeheartedly agree. For me the love comes into the process when I take the time to do right (or at least as close to right as I can). So, I carefully trim the fat from the roast, making sure to leave just enough to keep the meat juicy but not enough so that it gets greasy. I meticulously cut all the vegetables to a similar size so that they cook evenly. I do all of this so that we can enjoy the best possible meal together.
It takes a few hours once everything is in the oven, but once it's ready there's nothing better than sitting across from the one you love and enjoying a meal together.
Author's Note:
This story is inspired by the scene in Sita Sings the Blues after Sita asks Rama to capture the golden deer and she is alone in their hut singing about her love for Rama. At this point in the film Sita has followed her husband Rama into exile to live a simple life in the forest. She sees a beautiful golden deer, which is really an evil rakshasa in disguise, and begs her husband to capture it for her. While he is pursuing the deer Sita sings the song "What Wouldn't I Do For That Man" to express her love for Rama.
I was inspired by that scene to write a story about how I feel cooking for my partner. Cooking for us is something I usually do alone at home , and for me preparing food for someone is a way to show my love for them like Sita's song about Rama.
Bibliography. Nina Paley, Sita Sings the Blues, Source.
Hi, Ryan! This is such a sweet story. I love the originality of exemplifying your own experiences.I find this story to be very relatable, simple yet powerful. Thanks for opening up and sharing your thoughts!
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