Pleasant House

One of Mom’s spreads circa 1980s

Originally uploaded by art and chel

This is a typical holiday spread that my mom would engineer for family get togethers. I would help my mom prep for these meals and really got excited about cooking during this time. It was also a dinner like this, maybe even this one, where my uncle Mark said to me, “You should become a chef.” It took me many years before I realized that “becoming a chef” was as legitimate an option as any other profession. I didn’t grow up in the chef as celebrity age or in an environment where my family and I knew chefs. Alas, I became a full-time student of food and a professional chef, and hope to inspire people through my cooking, the same way that my mom inspired me, and to encourage others to follow their passions the same way that my uncle suggested I follow mine.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

5 Responses

1. on November 10, 2010 at 8:23 am Tuscan Foodie in America

   When you dig with everyone who loves food, the origin is almost always in a relative (more often than not, the mother) who got the person into cooking…

   
   
2. on November 21, 2010 at 5:31 pm Jeanne Jackson

   Oh, thank you Artie. That was really nice. You know how much I love to cook. As you, John, and Michael were growing up, I tried to introduce you all to as many different food items as I could. We grew, canned, baked our own bread, pickled and apple pressed together. It was a lot of work but it was all worth it.

   You are amazing and I am very proud of you. Mom

   
   
3. on November 22, 2010 at 12:52 pm artandchel

   Wow Mom, this is the first time you’ve commented on my blog! Thanks! I guess it’s a pretty appropriate post to comment on.

   I know that many of us, when we were kids, don’t express our appreciation for what our parents do for us. And for the amazingly huge amount of effort that it took to raise 3 (4 including Dad) boys. But I am truly grateful for the upbringing that you provided me with. That’s not to say everything was all roses all the time, but that’s all “off the blog” stuff.

   Fact is, the things that you and Dad liked to do, the things that you mentioned above, were also things that I may not have consciously appreciated back then. But those very experiences subconsciously molded me and my brothers and is apparent in what we do or what we can do. And I realize that many kids do not get to experience many of those things at home and wish that they could.

   So, since I probably didn’t tell you back then, I’ll tell you now that you’re amazing and I’m very proud of you. The only way that I could be, is if you were first.

   love you.

   art.

   
   
4. on November 22, 2010 at 12:56 pm artandchel

   p.s. I still don’t understand though, why did we used to “string” all those beans? Remember that rolling machine that would cut the beans lengthwise into strips?

   
   
5. on November 24, 2010 at 1:11 pm Jeanne Jackson

   Thank you Artie I always read your blog and tell everyone about it. But….You are the one I should be telling. Enough of the mushy stuff.

   About the hand cranked string bean machine. Would you believe I still have that machine. I guess I have never been able to do things the easy way. NEVER until now. I am making the famous green bean casserole to take to Auntie Sharons tomorrow for Thanksgiving, and I actually bought canned, yes canned french cut green beans. I actually told myself,”It’s really ok”.

   Have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow. Dad and I will be thinking of you, Chelsea and Michael. Love, Mom

   
   

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