I enter a room and smell garlic. I time travel to Grandma's connected home in Queens, NY. I find myself in Aunt Rose's kitchen. In my own Sunday-kitchen childhood. I am in every small Italian restaurant of my past. I am enticing my children home with its aroma. If you want to sell me a home, skip the potpourri and roast some garlic. I instantly feel that this is a warm home with a caring cook. I am content.
These days, a lot of lemons have entered my life. There are many challenges and sadness's. It is part and parcel of the journey of life. I am old enough to know the circular pattern of life and the concept of being on top of a hill and in the valley. And know that both changes.
The season of spring recently took one look at Minnesota and headed south. It is currently snowing and sleeting. But hope springs eternal and spring does, too! So while winter waves it's last hurrah, and the lemons are thrown at me, I will not make lemonade. Too cold!
I will wrap two heads of garlic in aluminum foil and brush them with olive oil. I will place it in a 350-400 degree F oven for forty minutes. I will be transported to my aunt's kitchens. And to my home off Union Turnpike. I will visit with my youth.
And now, with steam rising out of it ( sorry for the blur), I will smear some on a piece of bread and get on with things. Later I will make garlic soup. Just squeeze those little garlics out of their papery homes. Put it in 4-6 cups of chicken broth. Simmer 2-3 medium peeled potatoes in the broth. When potatoes are tender, put in blender and mix well. No cream. No half-and-half. Potatoes and garlic pureed.
A fitting end to a tart and icy day.
Mmm, garlic and lemon are two wonderful smells. I like how you've described the hills and valleys in life. Good reminder.
ReplyDeleteHi Claudia! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Yours looks so great! I made roasted garlic over the weekend and left it in too long! We had candied garlic! LOL
ReplyDeleteIn a world with camembert ice cream and basil sorbet, there must be a place for candied garlic! And kitchen should always smell of garlic... or lemons ...or vanilla.
ReplyDeleteOMG I love roasted garlic, I like to throw it in the pan when I am roasting taters and carrots or maters ... YUM!
ReplyDeleteAs far as lemons, I look at life as acts in a play, you never know what the ending will be ... but you look forward to the next act :)
Think Spring!
I love your wise words and the roasted garlic. I never smelled roasted garlic in my mom's kitchen but my kids know it's smell very well.
ReplyDeleteYou would think I would look at life like acts in a play - I write plays! I look at life and think - how can I make that dramatically interested and compressed into two hours?
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