A Pot of Sauce

 Today I am making a big pot of 'gravy' or sauce as West Coasters know it as.  My mother was one of the most amazing cooks ever.  So when I moved out at 13, I wanted to recreate her sauce.  Looking back it was my ego that drove me to first recreate that gravy.  If she could make amazing sauce then so could I.  

First of all, never cook when you are angry.  If you can, have your favorite music playing.  Fresh is always best.  And think about who you are going to feed.  You are preparing something that someone else is going to eat.  I would like to believe that I am creating magic with my cooking.

My mother was Jewish and married a Sicilian.  She learned from his mother how to make gravy.  It was spectacular.  My mouth waters to think about it.  Rich and simmered for hours....all those spices marrying with the tomatoes.  It was truly something to behold.  

I make excellent sauce.  If I am making lasagna or stuffed shells or baked zitti I push the flavor profile up a bit.  So I am thinking about Samantha and my grandkids while I create this sauce.  My grandchildren LOVE my cooking.  Which means it is a great experience for them and rewarding for me.

I am a nurturer by default.  I used to cook big batches of food and feed my friends when I was young.  It is truly one of the greatest pleasures in the world to feed someone.  There should be something intimate about a home cooked meal.  It's about intention  and if your intentions are positive then it will be amazing.  I equate cooking with other acts of love like a really great hug.  If I don't like you then I am not cooking for you-ever.  

I also think everyone should have 1 signature dish.  Can't cook?  That's okay!  You can make the best scrambled eggs or pancakes.  What matters is that you are in the moment, that you are creating something and that an event is being born.  Like many important circumstances cooking is a magical that makes people take notice.  It hits all your senses and afterwards leaves you feeling satisfied.

I look forward to passing this on to my grandchildren so they can pass it forward.