Lemonade Out of Lemons

Early Weddings and Leftovers

Mona Knutson

Dear Mona,
I hate eating leftovers, but I don’t know what else to do with them. With the price of food, we can’t afford to toss them out any more. Help!

Dear Kitchen Querier,
First of all, never call food in your fridge, “leftovers.”  They are simply foods that will be made into something else. When making something new out of them, think of yourself as a gourmet! Gourmet cooking really began in very lean times. Fresh foods were very expensive when they were available. Cooks had to be creative to stay in business. They had to cook with what they snared, foraged, or traded.  Small birds, wild plants, mushrooms, and every last little bit of “leftovers” were turned into fabulous taste treats with incredible sauces if they could scrounge up a couple of eggs and a little cream. The gourmet chefs of the time were creating beautiful soufflés instead of scrambling eggs.

Today, ethnic peasant dishes that were once prepared in an old woman’s kitchen are now served in the most elegant restaurants. We are once again faced with lean years. Whether it is yesteryear or today, gourmet or ethnic dishes are leftovers redone! 
You too, can pursue the art of tastefully turning your bits and pieces into tasty meals. If you aren’t interested in becoming a gourmet cook, think of yourself as a hungry peasant.

 

Dear Mona,
My dad told me he is going to get married, and wants us to have a little reception for them. My mother just died six months ago, and my brother and sisters are reeling with this news. We have never met this woman, nor do we know anything about her or her family. 

 

Oh Dear,
No one is prepared for the punch that grief packs, nor are we ever prepared to walk back into our homes alone. I can understand your dad’s compelling need for companionship, and it must have left you all stunned when you heard he wants to remarry so soon. 

Suggest (or beg) him to live with her for at least one year before making anything permanent. Living together is a rather hip thing to do at their age, and it has its practicalities. A few of my 92-year-old dad’s friends have decided to live with their significant others and have enjoyed the benefits, without the complicated legal ramifications of marriage. And as my father said, “one of them hopefully still drives!”

As for the reception, a small gathering of friends and family would be a better idea. Keep the menu simple, do not go overboard with details, and have the party at your dad’s house. People will be far more relaxed if it is a casual event, and you might consider not having little ones at the event since they heighten the commotion level. May I suggest having a main dish such as chicken wild rice casserole or lasagna, baby green salad, rolls, and bars for dessert. If you have an early supper, it’s late enough in the day to chase some of the stress away with a nice glass of cabernet.

Take very good care of yourselves. Grief is exhausting. Move slowly and with deliberation. Even though your dad seems to have moved on, he is reacting to the tremendous loneliness and it is obviously overwhelming him. 

PS: I heard a similar story, with an added twist. The kids discovered the woman their dad fell in love with was already married, and when they confronted her with this information, she smiled at them and said, “I guess I should probably get a divorce.”

 

Til next month, your power driven problem solver

mona@duluthsuperiormagazine.com