My mom and I began this week with a dreary, drizzly Monday trip to the city for an early morning doctor’s appointment. As I was sitting in the waiting room, I picked up an October 2010 issue of REAL SIMPLE magazine. After perusing the first few pages, I happened upon a quote featured on the monthly Thoughts page. The quote was credited to author M.F.K. Fisher from the book entitled An Alphabet for Gourmets and read as follows: Gastronomical perfection can be reached in these combinations: one person dining alone, usually upon a couch or a hillside; two people, of no matter what sex or age, dining in a good restaurant; six people, of no matter what sex or age, dining in a good home.
WOW! What a scrumptious mouthful! I immediately felt an elevated response from reading the quote, and I knew I had to copy it! The drive to the doctor’s office had been both dismal and stressful, not to mention the parking situation in the pouring rain; and yet, the minute I read the quote, I felt my body react in a positive way. I just love a collection of words that can spontaneously do that! It’s so amazing! As I copied the quote onto the small yellow pad that I carry in my purse, I felt another sensation of lightness. Just reading the quote a second time was literally transforming my mood!
So I pondered the idea of gastronomical perfection while I waited for Mom. I am pretty confident that I have never reached perfection on any level. I have never felt quite perfect as a wife, mom or friend. I have never achieved perfection as a writer, storyteller or photographer. I have never been remotely close to perfection as person of faith; however, I know for sure that I have reached gastronomical perfection on every level, in every combination. YES! I softly exclaimed to myself, as I slightly hiked my leg and did a side fist pump! TODAY’S BIG STORY: Gastronomical perfection is mine!
This past Thanksgiving, I sat down at a table of six in a good home – not once, but twice. Two sets of parents, two boyfriends, two daughters, two in-laws and their two children, one husband and one son accompanied by homemade raisin-cinnamon bread, a Smithfield ham, cabbage casserole, potato soup, a fresh 20-pound turkey – brined for 30 hours and baked for six, a made-from-scratch green apple stuffing, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, gourmet macaroni and cheese, a bowl of very young English peas, two of Mom’s Millionaire pies, a Brazos Bottom pecan pie from Texas, Kentucky bourbon cranberry sauce, and a secret family recipe cornbread dressing made just for Katie! Six people, of no matter what sex or age, dining in a good home –absolute perfection times two!
And speaking of two…the individual members of my family have perfected pairings in good restaurants from Emeril’s to Olga’s to Jazzeppi’s to A.J.’s! Two people, of no matter what sex or age, dining in a good restaurant – what I know for sure, it just takes two! I was reminded of a mild summer night when my son and I dined in a good restaurant called Walker’s. We did not have a reservation, and the place was packed with people. Thankfully, we were escorted to an upstairs dining area where the locals were congregating, the vibe was cool, the atmosphere was friendly, and the food was first rate. After we finished our meal, Matt and I leisurely strolled back to the vehicle. We were so completely full and satisfied that getting in a hurry was not an option. Matt was holding a tooth pick in the side of his mouth, and I distinctly remember embracing the perfection of that moment as I listened to him critique the food and service.
Another more recent dining duo took place on a perfect October evening with my daughter in a good restaurant appropriately named Thirty Two, as it is located on the thirty-second floor and overlooks the Biloxi Bay. My daughter feasted on the restaurant’s famed 14-ounce bone-in filet mignon, followed by fresh crème brulee and a glass of thirty-year port wine. I reached gastronomical perfection with a double-cut Berkshire pork chop (apple-brined), dried cranberry and shallot bread pudding, frisee (French curly endive)and bacon lardons – all topped with Normandy sauce. At the end of the meal, Aimee and I felt completely euphoric! We entered the elevator, pressed the down button, heaved a huge sigh of contentment, and leaned on opposite corners for the ride! When the elevator doors opened, we were both smiling as though we had just found the goose that laid the golden egg! Two people, of no matter what sex or age, dining in a good restaurant – sheer perfection!
However – to be perfectly honest – when I first read the quote, I actually thought about my quiet supper meal on the previous Sunday. The Thanksgiving holiday was officially over. Everyone had gone back to work or college; even my husband was headed to Mobile. After church, I walked into my empty home, put on my pajamas, and rummaged through the refrigerator for leftovers. I found a piece of roast, a few potatoes and carrots, and a half-pitcher of sweet tea. I grabbed a jar of mayonnaise and mashed a spoonful onto my potatoes and carrots. I made a half-sandwich with a slice of wheat bread and roast. Then I poured the cold sweet tea over ice. I spotted three bread and butter pickles in the bottom of a jar that was stuck to the refrigerator shelf, so I helped myself to the pickles and tossed the sticky jar into the garbage. I carried my meal to the couch, picked up the remote and sampled my DVR list, which was at 79 percent full. Home alone. Tonight there would be no college game day, no Sunday night football, no basketball tournament in Hawaii, no Rambo, no Three Stooges – just me and Oprah, the Hallmark Channel, Food Network and HGTV, and leftover roast and potatoes. One person dining alone, usually upon a couch or a hillside…totally perfect.
My mom received a great report from her doctor on that messy Monday morning, so we headed to Waffle House for a late breakfast of pecan waffles, fried country ham, smothered hash browns and as always, a heaping helping of gastronomical perfection!
Dianne ; )
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