On the Griddle

I made omelettes this morning on our new griddle.  I make them with mushrooms and onions and lots of cheese because that's the way Eric taught me.  Julia Child has tweaked my technique and for my husband I add tomatoes and celery, but when I eat it, I think of my brother at seventeen and me at ten in the kitchen on Marie Avenue.

I made that omelette for Grandmother once.  We were visiting her at Hunts Point.  I was new at it and was pleased that she allowed me to make one.  I served it with raisin toast from Ben's Bakery, on her round kitchen table.  I think if Ben's stopped making raisin bread, I would feel a pang.  She said that it was the best omelette she'd ever had.  She's not a woman who would say that lightly.  I could almost see her comparing it to omelettes of memory.  I have a round table now.  It does suit my square dining area, which is what I say to people, but really, I want to be back there with her, hearing the gulls and drinking in the salt air and hint of warm thyme.

Every poached egg is a Saturday morning on Crows Nest with Susan.  I can smell the black currant herbal tea, the touch of curry powder, the whole wheat English muffins from Mary's Bread Basket at the Brewery Market with just a scant smear of butter.  I eat my poached eggs with turmeric and basil now, a bit of black pepper and cayenne all on a thin slice of German pumpernickel.  And I drink lavender.  But I never have one without spending a minute at that teak table, Julie across from us with her Ryvita and peanut butter.

It was Annie who showed me how to keep the eggs moving.  She mightn't remember, it was twenty years ago and to her it was old hat, while to me it was an exciting new trick, but every time she serves them scrambled in a wrap with mayonnaise and fresh spinach I think of us as girls pulling the spatula across the pan.

Why is food so laden?

That griddle was a treat this morning.  It will be more versatile than I hoped.   I bought it so that every Shrove Tuesday of my children's lives will hold memories of strawberries and cream and perfect small honey and wheat pancakes...and me.