ribbons

That is adorable - I won't soon forget that story.

I really don't cook that elaborately. Just the basics, really, with the occasional attempts at fancier recipes on weekends, which sometimes turn out very poorly! I used to be much more fancy-schmancy in cooking. My best friend is Jewish and years ago I made the whole Passover meal for her extended family; and even though I'm not Jewish and had no prior experience, it was the best meal I ever made. It was interesting cooking within the constraints. Made matzo ball soup from scratch with a bit of shaved carrot in the matzo balls; butterflied rolled turkey breast with spinach and matzo meal stuffing (looked like a pinwheel when sliced) in a kosher white wine sauce; sweet potato kugel; and pear-cherry charoset which is like a chutney you spread on the matzo crackers. I even rendered chicken fat (called “schmaltz”) and included it in practically everything. Schmaltz being like a Jewish umami ingredient, lol. Anyway, the meal was memorable because the guests couldn't believe a "shiksa" made it.

Glad your Mom gave you the pea soup recipe! I think it’s great that you grew up cooking with her and your aunt. Does the pea soup have any ham in it, by chance? When I made pea soup in the past, I’d put a smoked ham hock in it. Pea soup is so delicious, but as I make it now without meat it’s kind of bland and lacking something. I do not own a slow cooker, which is kind of odd as I think it would make cooking life so much easier.

ribbons

Emeril had excellent recipes, as I recall. And I especially admire your daughter's baking skills, as I just don't have much of a knack for baking. There's something in the precision of baking that I'm just not good at. Which is weird, because I'm kind of a "precise" personality in general. But I'm more instinctual in cooking.

music_collector

The ham MAKES the soup! lol

My sister works in a meat processing plant. A few times of years, she can order double smoked hams. They're to die for.

The ham also has enough salt that I don't need to add any spice. I'll add carrots to the mix. It makes for a nice hearty meal.

It must have felt good being called a shiksa too?

I'm not Jewish either, but I love their food. When my wife lived in Toronto, we'd go to a Jewish deli nearby. I'd usually have latkes. I'd always have a dozen bagels to take home as well. Then there's the smoked meat.

ribbons

Exactly! That's why my pea soup is so bland now. It's just not the same.

There's a certain ring to it. My friend's great-great-uncle, who was a nephew of George Burns, was there - he had a sense of humor and personality very similar to George Burns and would tease and call me "my shiksa" while puffing his cigar.

Ah, latkes, and bagels, and....too bad for me that so much Jewish deli food (which I also love) has meat. We go to a dairy restaurant which has excellent blintzes and I'll often order one with farmer's cheese and another with cherry filling - yum!

music_collector

Back when we were only allowed to have "bubble families", I'd get some bagels and smoked salmon at the deli. I'd take the family to our friends' house. They have triplet girls the same age as mine. The kids run around destroying the place, while the adults scarfed down bagels.

Good on you for being able to make all of that stuff. It was a really nice thing to do on your part.

My mom and aunt have a sibling rivalry going on when it comes to food. At Christmas time, they each make their sucre à la crème (fudge). They use my grandma's recipe. I've asked for that recipe for years, to no avail. This may be the best sibling rivalry out there. It's certainly the most yummy.

ribbons

Twin and triplet girls all the same age, wow - what's in the water up there? Nice that they have each other as pals, and maybe they will always be friends into adulthood.

Thank you - it was all my pleasure and fun to make that meal. My friend and her family have always been there for us and very good to us, They have always treated me and my kids like family, and in many ways have been more of a family than my real relatives.

I hope that one day your Mom or Aunt will give you your Grandma's sucre à la crème recipe. And I'm sure it will be worth the wait. I don't dare to ask whose sucre à la crème you prefer!

music_collector

Thankfully I have one boy and a girl. I'd probably go insane if I had twin girls. The triplets, let's say I'm glad I don't have triplets. The level of drama is too high for my liking. Sometimes I wonder if it's all part of their plan, to go nuclear as a team, hoping to get their way.

As for the fudge, I can never say which one I prefer, at least not when family is around. I can say that both melt in my mouth. One year, I brought some to work to share. One of my good friends can't eat it anymore after he binged on it that day.

ribbons

Sorry for that mistake about the twins, MC. For some reason, I thought the twins were girls and when you mentioned your son elsewhere, I thought he was a separate child! I'm batting a thousand here, lol. Apologies! I give you and your wife tremendous credit raising two young children at the same time - I can't imagine, but I can tell by the way you speak of your family here that you're a really dedicated parent, so bravo! I was overwhelmed raising two children spaced apart by years, lol.

music_collector

All good!

The missus and I have survived so far. Thankfully, they're both healthy, and kicking my ass every which way to Sunday.

The funniest part of the early years was the questions we'd get from people. No matter how many times we were asked the same question, we'd answer politely. In the first few months, we'd go for walks in one of the smaller shopping malls here. It's overrun by seniors. As we walk down the halls, we'd have tons of old eyes on us. Those two were mini celebs everywhere they went.

There is a multiples family group in the city. They organize a ton of activities year round, from play events, to Halloween, to Christmas. They also organize two huge consignment sales, since buying two or three of everything can be expensive.

Ayn Marx

Crystallised ginger.