Archive for July 26th, 2010

Our feet carry a greater weight than any that we intend them. The incredible structures bear the weight of all our burdens. The pains, sorrows, joys and frustrations that we hold in our hearts and in our heads, the sleepless nights, the excitement of a new day, of the one you love, a late nite out, and early morning run, a mud puddle – all are exposed in our calluses and toes.  Our feet carry the weight of our souls.

Feet are an odd, sort of a strangely beautiful item on the human frame. They are a means by which we can be deciphered from other mammals who lack the ability of upright mobility. Feet are our anchors and our gas pedals simultaneously. We are held up and brought forwards by these funny looking bones and flesh. To necessary to be ugly, to abused to be delicate and beautiful. Their beauty lies in their utility, it is here, as it often is in people, that we find comfort in predictability, tenaciousness, and practicality. Feet are our access to the world and to each other. Without the ability to stand and maintain balance, we in fact, would be not much beyond the realm of gorillas. Though, given the complexities that exist as a result of our ability to so easily run, mingle and hide, the gorilla may have a better grip on social life than we could hope.

None the less, though my feet are not my favorite feature, as divulged, that is my legs, they are small, and rather cute. Though there are calluses to scrub and my toes need new red paint, the general concept of my feet is some what appealing, as far as feet go that is.

My toes curl terribly, not form love, though they have, but from running mostly. General abuse. And since running has also deteriorated my knees, my feet bare the additional burden of aiding my poor knees, and my heavy heart.

so this all began as a blog devoted to my grandmother and her efforts to cook and provide for a traditionally large Catholic family. There is, amongst the women, a cookbook of recipes – some are hers, some are from friends some are cut out and included because they were tried and tested and made someone, or everyone in the family happy. But there are many elements to cooking, and family that are not explicit in the recipes.

For one, most of them make large quantities, very large. Indicative of a large family and later of entertaining (be it family or friends). My mother has done nothing to aid in the transformation of these recipes to being family (fourish) sized. If anything, the portions are the same and the amount has actually doubled.

Entertaining is huge in my family, and I used to think that it was huge in my life; that I needed more than myself and my son and a husband to entertain. It is just no the case. Though I love my friends dearly and love having them over to eat and to cook, the acts within the confines of ones family are even more intimate and meaningful. To be fair, the act of creating memories always is.

I presently have no need to cook for more than one routinely and thus, in this situation, one turns to ones friends and shares these moments with them. Here in the comfort of our homes, neighborhoods and porches we begin the creation of our own cookbooks.