Peanut Butter, Pumpkin Pie & Yams
To the editor:
Now I am proud to say I married a great cook. And I also can say I am a great eater. It works well.
She likes to come up with something different once in a while and tries it out on me. I on the other hand will eat anything. Any cuisine; Italian, Chinese, German, Mexican, Urbana, you name it.
Mary always makes the plate attractive as well. It’s a pleasure eating at home. Just put it in front of me and … Well, there are things…
Peanut butter, pumpkin pie and yams (sweet potatoes) are the exception. I know, I know, you’re just like Mary. She says it’s un-American not to like peanut butter. But I don’t. I can’t figure it out either. I love peanuts! Yes, I eat them by the handfuls. I don’t ever remember eating peanut butter at home.
I do remember my Dad putting it on his pancakes. I remember Mom telling about working in a grocery store and every morning it was her job to stir the peanut butter.
You see it didn’t come in jars back in her days and it wasn’t homogenized. She describes it as coming in a barrel with the oil floating on top. Before they learned how to homogenize it to keep the oil and peanuts to stay together the two would separate overnight and the oil would come to the top. Mom would have to stir and stir to get it ready to sell that day.
Did that rub off on me. Did my Mom pass on her hate of stirring the peanut butter? Hmm… I wonder.
Anyway, I don’t like it in cookies or candy either. And I rarely pass up either. Maybe I need a head-shirker to explain it (and charge me a fortune). I really don’t need to know at this time in life.
Oh, come on now! Not pumpkin pie … That’s Grandma, Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims and Marie Callender. Well, I will eat it if it is served by a host. I wouldn’t be rude enough to say, “Ugh!”. It’s not bad if you pile on a big glob of whipped cream but it’s not my favorite.
Pecan is the one I would choose off the dessert cart. Is it Pee-Can or Pee-Con. I guess it matters where you are from but it’s still the best. Come to think of it there’s coconut cream topped with baked meringue and don’t forget key lime which you gotta have when dining with Jimmy B. Bring on the margaritas!
Where was I? I got lost for awhile there. Oh yes, yams and sweet potatoes for us uncouth folks. Yes, I know you are putting it all together.
They are all the same color. So what! After all you are not a psychologist. Oh, how good they look on the Thanksgiving table all glazed and juicy looking. Everybody can’t wait to dive in. “No thanks”, I say as everyone at the table look at me with suspicion. (He must be a Commie).
I’ll leave you with the puzzle.
Bring on the meat and potatoes, pastas, salads, desserts, you name it, but please, if you invite me to dinner just ignore me as I pass along those dishes kinda with my head down. I know what you are thinking.
Don Hill
Seymour