The Flavor of Love
The Flavor of Love
Food brings people together. And when it’s scrumptious, people want to linger and enjoy it.
“Be careful now. You’ll burn your mouth if you don’t let it cool first.”
I don’t think my sister and I really listened though.
Old school had met new school. My grandmother was making her world-famous mush recipe in a Fry Daddy. If you aren’t familiar with mush, it’s fried cornmeal, best I understand. It’s a southern dish, I think, that Grandma made when she was young. And when she migrated north with her husband, she brought that tradition with her.
Food brings people together. And when it’s scrumptious, people want to linger and enjoy it. Now that I think about it, that’s probably what Grandma had in mind.
I loved her friend mush. If I had to describe it, I’d say it tasted like fried fat. Crispy, crunchy, buttery, breaded, scrumptious fat. I know that sounds gross, but mix in a little cornmeal with fat and it’s so good!
Grandma would cut it into small rectangles, and when she placed them on the table, they would still be sizzling. If you’re in America, think Applebee’s sizzlin’ skillets.
This article feels a little self-indulgent, but it’s driven by a desire to preserve such memories before they fade. I yearn for my nieces and nephews to be aware of our family traditions, and I’d be thrilled if one of them heard about this one and tried to cook fried mush in honor of the woman they never had the chance to meet.
Reaching one’s fifties often means holding on to fond memories of loved ones whom younger generations never had the opportunity to know. Aside from letters or recordings, sharing their stories remains one of the most effective ways to keep their memories alive. As Margaret Atwood once wrote, “In the end, we’ll all become stories.” In my mind, this includes not only humorous anecdotes but also obscure recipes, unique quirks and other off-the-wall details that shape the essence of who our loved ones were.
Grandma was an unbelievably good cook. She did things with a roast that I’ve never tasted since. I’ve never come close to recreating it in my own slow cooker or frying pan.
Remember how Ray Barone’s mom, Marie, always used to say her food was made with love? Well, that’s what that generation believed. It wasn’t a means to an end; it was an experience. But it was also an agent for keeping people around the dinner table, engaged in meaningful conversation. And I think we’d all benefit from more dinner table time.
In the month of May, you can get the Finding Common Ground e-book boxed set (Books 1-3) for only $2.99 in the U.S. Don't miss out on this deal!
Grab a cup of coffee and escape into this collection of heartfelt essays (the complete Boxed Set of the Finding Common Ground Series).
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
Common Grounds will take you on a pilgrimage with the author to thirty coffee shops in Omaha, Nebraska. He spent $136.42 on coffee and a few donuts, but it was a small price to pay for the commonality he felt between the patrons, baristas, and himself. And standing on common ground gave him strength in the most unexpected of ways. Maybe it’ll do the same for you.
Sacred Grounds invites you to reminisce about your first loves, first experiences, and first favorites, all of which shape us in ways our second loves, second experiences, and second favorites do not. Dive into this section and go back to a simpler time in your life.
Higher Grounds will inspire you to always be on the lookout for God. You’ll read about him showing up in a nursing home during a Christmas caroling excursion, in a bowling alley during a rock concert, in a restaurant as two elderly people seek the company of strangers, and so much more.
Here are some tidbits you might find interesting this week:
“We must remember that the shortest distance between our problems and their solutions is the distance between our knees and the floor.” – Charles Stanley
Here’s an article about a woman who downsized to 134 items and was happy with her decision. She says it gives her freedom.
Food for thought: Everything must be paid for twice.
Last week I shared a quote from the Puritan prayer book “The Valley of Vision.” If you’re interested in it, you can pick one up on Amazon. Here’s a link to the U. S. store.
“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” – Corrie Ten Boom
When Lee isn’t writing essays, devotional books, or Christian fiction, he is a freelance editor, as well as a freelance journalist who has written hundreds of articles for various newspapers and magazines. He’s also a fan of NASCAR, baseball, tennis, books, movies and coffee shops.
I so agree, Lee, about stories around food and recipes. And although she didn’t call it “mush,” my grandmother used to make something that sounds similar- cornbread made like a pancake in a skillet w lots of Crisco. I’m salivating just thinking about it. I wrote at Numbering Your Days this week about how to have a story feast bc I think stories and feasting go hand in hand. Your story would be a great one to share with your nieces and nephews at a story feast!