And Beth said-
"Do I wash the spinach?"
We chatted
I chopped-
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
"Yes tillybud, wash it in luke warm water"
She laughed-
we laughed
"What's lukewarm?"
I tried poetic device
verbose and
even a little cliched-
"pretend kissing on your hand,
warm milk,
my coffee half an hour in the mug,
school dinners (yuck!)
april rain on your birthday"
Heat the oil-
add garlic
asafoetida(Beth says it smells like her Dad's socks)
mustard seeds
Pop
pop
P
O
P
sizzle
sizzle
S
i
z
z
l
e
Aromatics and sensual tides invade
the kitchen-
devours our eyes
lips seeking tingles-
"I love your cooking Mum, even lukewarm"
She flicks the pages of Madhur Jaffrey's "Flavours of India"
demanding, as only a child can
dish, after dish
we giggle some more
chop vegetables
spoon-on sauces
As the pans
simmer-
I tell her of Lisa
who I know
because of poetry-
& her love for art
mirth and mayhem
and food to tempt
taste buds
that burst open
in our minds
Beth chortles
and said-
"She's missing out,
on one special curry tonight then"
Aloo Saag, tandoori chicken
and courgette & chick pea salad.
Author notes
Yesterday's sunday dinner... sometimes we have something other than a traditional roast dinner..
Beth chose Indian food.. so she helped me in the kitchen, as daughter's sometimes do...
we love to chat and cook and giggle..
Also this is for Cvillelisa ... who loves Aloo Saag, and I thought of her when simmering the spinach and potatoes.
Written March 6th, 2006
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Comments
1 - 18 of 18
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charming is such a good word for this- it flows effortlessly- it lilts across the page in this seemingly effortless romp through the middle of poetry lesson, a bonding session- a love in with the most important person in your life-
and it paints the picture seamlessly-
i can smell the curry- i swear i can.
Lovely , lovely write my friend gillian- lovely.
m -
A charming domestic interlude - and of course so much more. You have the knack of changing the mundane into the magical, and superficial into significant - and this poem is an excellent example of this.
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Excellent verbiage, NC. Enjoyed this as much as a Baskin Robbins two-scoop chocolate mint icecream.
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this is such a nice warm hearted write to wake up and find,
i call my daughter doodlebug and she is 11now i hope these girls never grow out of there pet names
~liz~
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there is poetry in cooking...but there is magic in cooking with ones daugghter. This is fuzzy and warm and gets one right into the heart....and hunger
LOVED IT
xoxoxo
reenie
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you should have made enough for AP Gill yummm can smell it right till here, delicious...
the poem is sweet and warm as well as delicious they grow so fast dont they into
Oh those early teens when they are still ours in many ways
Edited on Mar 07, 2:52 because ''. -
You made me hungry ... now I've got to go raid the frig and we ain't got nothin' that tastey
... thank you for sharing this lovely image of a mother and daughter enjoying just some simple loving time together ... it makes me feel warm and comfort foody (only I want mine hot )
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i am in hostel right now, and this reminded me of home-food... my mom's a wonderful cook, and saag is one of her specialities...
a very beautiful and tender poem. each image is clear, and you have used the word order very effectively to create sounds and sensations; not something everyone can do! well written...
good wishes,
sau. -
Thankyou Elaine... one of the things that my lovely daughter and I still enjoy doing together is cooking.. being as she's 13 and full of hormones and teeth... lololol
it's hard to keep up with her at the moment.. hehehhe
but we share the love for food and gossiping..
she's my special tillybud -
this is excellent in it's warmth [not lukewarmth i hasten] it's love and it's perfect imagey of mother and daughter cooking... I have that book signed by madhur herself, have done a 12 week indian cookery course and frequently delight in chop chopping with my own daughter who is 21 this year... what joy Gilly, what wondeful joy they bring us...
tonight i needed normality ... it's been a tough old day... and found this gem
thank you from the bottom of my empty old balti dish
elaine
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aaawww is Niki being so mean... spinach and potatoes are good for you... surely he'd let you have a little bit...
hehheheheh
thankyou hun...
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My dad loved Indian food before there were takeaways and restaurants in England. My mother used to do it for his lunch on Tuesdays. We were not allowed to have any though. I am not allowed any now either
I might be allowed some chickpea and courgette salad if you saved some. This was a lovely intimate glimpse through the keyhole, and I loved the way you started it.
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why thankie ma'am... glad it made your lunch hour savoury and delish..
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I tried poetic device
verbose and even a little cliched-
"pretend kissing on your hand,
warm milk,
my coffee half an hour in the mug
school dinners (yuck!)
april rain on your birthday"
First just let me say...awwww...how sweeeet is this?? And the entire piece just played itself like some Norman Rockwell painting come to life, lol. I loved this, darling dear...very cultured with a culinary warmth that was both delicate and delicious...what a perfect read for my lunch hour.
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hehhehe yeah... tillybud is one of the pet names I have for my daughter Beth... she still smiles at it .. even though she's 13
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"Yes tillybud, wash it in luke warm water"
omfg thats so cute ^^
lol, i thought you hated cooking?? oh wait, i thinks thats anasuya lol. this poem is really cute. loving it.
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there's some leftovers in the fridge...
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ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
i want some now.
YAYYY. I love cooking poems. Jane Hirshfield has lots and when I read them, I smell what is cooking.
you.
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