Dear Boonville: My cooking ability is limited.
As much as I love hanging out in the kitchen, my repertoire leaves something to be desired.
So I’m hoping to learn something at tonight’s Taste of Home cooking show in Boonville — maybe two things. It should be an opportunity to peruse mid-Missouri stores’ offerings and to learn about preparing a meal.
(Full disclosure: The Boonville Daily News is a sponsor of the cooking show.)
In my family, a tip of the chef’s hat goes to my wife, Julie. She keeps tab of the week’s menu using an eraseable board, and she’s always baking — for gatherings with friends, at work and more.
She shops around town to find the best food deals. We’re big fans of the off-brands, and let me suggest that this is the way to go, at least with some products. You’ll save money and still get a tasty meal.
When I was growing up, Mom always made sure the refrigerator and pantry were well stocked. Dad was responsible for more specialized fare such as frozen dinners and pomegranates.
Back then — just as happens now at our house — Mom took dinner requests. She also took complaints, which probably came in greater volume.
First came the plaintive, “What are we having for dinner tonight?”
Then came Mom’s response. Among we kids’ favorite dishes: Dried beans and cornbread, served with a side of spinach (or collared greens, take your pick). On New Year’s Day, we ate black-eyed peas and greens — so that we’d make coins and cash in the new year
This revelation from Mom often prompted follow-up responses from the family’s youth: Downturned faces. Vocal expressions of disgust. Prolonged periods of awkward silence.
Sigh.
Thankfully, my three siblings and I have grown up a bit since then. We’re no longer beholden to steady diets of hamburgers and pizza (not that we ever were, as we always had balanced meals even if the veggie in question wasn’t on a personal Top 10 list). Dad exposed us to a broad range of ethnic cuisines — Ethiopian, Japanese, Thai, etc. — so we became more willing to try new things.
We’re in the work force and/or in college, so cooking for ourselves and with friends has become commonplace, so trying new things remains important.
Julie and I make it a point to try the favorite cuisines of the locations to which we travel, and it’s a lot of fun.
Our culinary assessments don’t always match up, but then again, that’s the beauty of eating: Everyone gets a place at the critic’s table.
Nate Birt is news and online editor at the Boonville Daily News. He can be reached at nate@boonvilledailynews.com.
