Meal Monday
My husband and 13-year-old daughter have taken to grading the dinners I prepare for them. "Not your best. I give it a B," I heard the other night about my risotto. "It's really good, Honey, thanks. A-plus," regarding a new recipe for mahi mahi tacos.
Grading my cooking? Who asked for that? I graduated from school a long time ago. And I am not a contestant on one of those countless competitive cooking shows. No amount of explanation can convey just how infuriating this instant report card is. (My 11-year-old son, who only eats a grand total of ten items, does not grade the meals I make for him, because how much gradation is there in peanut butter sandwiches -- no jelly, no crusts -- on white bread?)
The other night, in a frenzy of efficient use of what we had in the house, I sliced the abundance of bagels, spread a half jar of pizza sauce on said bagel slices and sprinkled the shredded, part skim mozzarella cheese from the cheese drawer on top. Into the oven these pizza bagels went. I threw together a salad and voila, dinner! I was pretty proud of myself.
Until: "Lame dinner, Mom." "Yeah, lame. Pizza bagels?"
Excuse me? I wasted not so that we would want not. I saved a weeknight trip to the supermarket and countless dollars. I used my best (well, maybe not my best) culinary creativity to work within time and ingredient limitations. How dare they complain?
Mind you, this is the husband who was content to eat a can of beans dumped on top of leftover pasta for dinner (I am not kidding) and who thought garlic salt was a spice before I rescued him from such gustatory ignominy almost 16 years ago. I prepare a well-balanced meal virtually every single night after working, picking up and dropping off children (and cockapoo), and occasionally even working out.
I take great pride in what I feed my family, and don't even mind the fact that I am the primary -- arguably sole -- cook in the house. The gender role-playing of it all doesn't even bother me, mainly because I really love to cook and to bake. I like the creativity and rewarding tangibility of preparing, presenting and serving food. I like thinking about menus and new dishes and trying fruits and vegetables I've never seen before. I like experimenting with flavors and combinations. I like using frozen foods to complement what's fresh. In spite of crazy schedules and not enough time to do ANYTHING, I still insist on at least attempting to make a real dinner every night.
Once in a blue moon, I actually order from our local Vietnamese restaurant, barbecue place or pizzeria. Or make something easy. Like pizza bagels. But if I do, it's because I really need a break, or the day got away from me, or I was too busy doing something for somebody and making dinner got bumped off the schedule.
Nine out of ten evenings, dinner at our house is pretty good. Sometimes, it's not an A-plus, but I tried. And if it's not perfect, that's the way the proverbial cookie crumbles. I don't see anyone else lining up to claim the Executive Chef/Sous Chef/Line Cook position in my house. Grading a meal is completely insulting. I don't grade the lawn after my husband mows it or grade the way he lines up the garbage cans on garbage night. I don't grade my daughter's rare attempts at making her bed or straightening her room.
So do not grade the meals. Don't mess with the chef. Appreciate what you’re given. And respect the occasional pizza bagel.
Photo by Cielo de la Paz via Flickr.
I'll come to your house anytime for dinner -- and I promise I won't give you any grades. I'll just thank you profusely for the delicious fare even if it's a pizza bagel. Anyone who cooks (and especially anyone who cooks well) should be valued and extolled.
I can relate to your frustration. My husband often gives the dishes I make him a grade, only he uses a 1-10 scale. Last night, I think I got two 9s and a 3. O.K., I'll admit the barley dish I made wan't very good, but still . . . .
Posted by: Stacy | Monday, November 21, 2011 at 10:00 AM
How do you make a good barley dish? I must admit, I haven't done much with barley outside of soup.
Posted by: Emily Kuvin | Monday, November 21, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Laughed out loud with this, and thought back to the cooking club.
Next time they don't like dinner, leave the eggs out on the counter and go out with the girls. Tell them you'll be grading the state of the kitchen when you get home, and if it's less than an 8, you'll be on strike for the week.
Here's a decent cold barley salad: cook the barley up front in a rice cooker in chicken bouillon. Rinse in cold water (do not skip this step unless you want goo). Make a salad dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and TONs of lemon juice (5 lemons). Add parsely and almonds (vocabulary blank here - broken into little chunks - concassé?) you've browned in a dry frying pan first. Toss the whole mess together. You can then add parboiled string beans or broccoli or carrots (or all three), or leave it as is. It's very healthy, which must be worth at least a 7, right?
Anne Duthoit
Posted by: Anne Duthoit | Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 02:07 AM
That sounds really good, Anne. I will definitely try it. I'll let you know what grade it earns!
Posted by: Emily Kuvin | Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 07:29 AM
I LOVED this!! I only get a nice dinner on the table about 2-3 nights a week now, between kids' activities and my own work, which requires a lot of evening event attendance. So I am in awe of those parents who achieve even more family dinnertimes. And indeed, my meals are often assembled rather than cooked by design, so I definitely respect the pizza bagel ... and the salad bar ... and the taco bar ... and the enchiladas with whatever is in the fridge stuffing .... I could go on. Welcome Emily!
Posted by: Karen | Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 02:38 PM