Cooking: the Husband’s Point of view

 I need to say this up front: I hate to cook.

But early in our relationship, there was a non-negotiable demand: “You have to do half of the cooking.”

“Anything, sure!”

Of course, that meant we could have hamburger steak, a baked potato and frozen peas every other night.

Wrong. “I like Thai food. And Indian food is fine too.” Oh.

Pickett took great pains to teach me how to cook. She has taught maybe 100 children at her pre-school and her children and foster children too. If our daughter and a foster child were present, that meant I would only have to cook every fourth night!

I’m told I was the most difficult pupil of them all. Well, maybe the kids don’t mind being told what to do!

“What are you doing?” I asked her one time while I was cooking. “Oh, I am putting more water in the pot. You didn’t put in enough.” Arghhh!

We made a truce: She leaves the kitchen while I cook, but I may go ask her for advice (if I am desperate.)

I do fine with oven-grilled salmon, salads, chicken dishes and casseroles if they are easy.

Lots of men I know do their cooking on a grill outside on Fourth of July or special occasions. I just don’t like fooling with the grill and coals and cleanup process.

After I dutifully cooked what I could get away with for years, Pickett asked me, “Why don’t you cook something you really like?”

What a novel idea! Real men don’t eat quiche, but I do anyway. I found an easy recipe for vegetable quiche, relatively healthy. But cooking it once every week or two didn’t cut it. I had to find more.

I came across an Indian keema (spicy ground meat) recipe that we both like. I can never cook that too much. I know it is a success if the hot chilis bring tears to her eyes.

I love spanakopita! Greek spinach pie. I eat it every chance I get. I looked up the recipe online and figured out how to layer the phyllo dough carefully to make the crust.

After a few tries, it turned out wonderfully. It is now my signature dish. When company is coming, sometimes she’ll say, “Why don’t you make your spanakopita?” This from a gourmet cook who operates a bed & breakfast. I’m flattered. Yes!

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Two recent theatrical productions blew me away. First, the musical “Bright Star,” by the Clarksville Community Players. And “Lady Day at Emerson Bar & Grill” at the Kirby Theater in Roxboro. The directors, Josh Glasscock in Clarksville, and Fred Motley in Roxboro sure know how to find talent!