Dad versus Mom in the Kitchen
If you ever want to see some real competition, as if the Olympics has come to Saratoga Springs NY, you might like to catch a glimpse of my parents cooking at the holidays. My dad is an awesome kitchen perfectionist. He works diligently to make his menus perfect in both eye appeal and taste. I have observed my dad gathering recipes over the years and testing them over and over trying to make that recipe perfect to his taste and standards. Almost always can he take something that catches his eye on paper and work it towards a taste perfection as to dazzle his dining guests. When it comes to food prep, Dad is a little tidy whitey. His work space is neat and perfect. He washes the dishes as he preps and reuses them as he washes.
Mom on the other hand….is kind of like the Chef on the muppets….”hurdy gurdy…toss’in de lob-stern’um”. She whacks and chops in a pile of what looks like you just experienced a tornado; totally out of control and when you see the meal served and the kitchen is cleaned up…her food looks and tastes great. You might never expect that she has a clue of what she is doing while she is cooking, it is so unorganized from the outsider perspective. But that is all a ruse. That gal likes a circle of chaos around her and can think through the mayhem to get to the final plated item. Amazing.
Two totally different people making awesome meals. At holiday events like, Christmas, when they have guests and both Mom and Dad are going to make different dishes for the meal…. some evil force strikes the kitchen. The adversarial nature of two dominant cave creatures comes out and you get to see that little kitchen area turn into the Battlefield of the Gosselin Household. They both will not cross the threshold of the others cooking domain. It is a great sociological study that should be funded.
I, as a chef, too am very territorial with my space in the kitchen. I do not allow any person (dogs are allowed) to occupy my space while I am creating food perfection. I am sure my gal will chime in with her comment. Since I have a great well established pattern in my household, where my gal gets to select any food items she can find and place them on her weekly menu board. I will come in from work, change clothes and put on my whites, prep and serve a meal that was ordered (without hesitation or gripe and at any hour). She plays dishwasher and chief sink maiden.
So who cooks better….Mom or Dad? I will leave you with that mystery. Both have talent….both can cook great. Only one performs the task of cooking everyday….at this time in their lives. Dad is the main cook and bottle wash today. Mom will cook if she has an event outside the house that she is providing an item (church lady fashion).
Hope you are smiling… not all families have two great talents that can make food taste great and who are willing to work so hard to please the few.