Monday, October 30, 2006

Carrot Memories

At 6:30pm it was dark already, thanks to the time change. It was cold and windy outside, so it was nice to get home to start supper.

I remember these cold fall nights when I was in high school. Mom and I would be in the kitchen, her getting supper ready, and me setting the table (usually under duress, I wasn't a very obliging daughter). She'd have the radio tuned either to CBC or to a radio station out of Maine. We'd listen to Paul Harvey read the news and laugh as he announced, "And now, you know the REST of the story." It was something we agreed on - Paul Harvey's stories were always entertaining.

There was a certain comfort to be found looking out into the darkness from the warmth of that kitchen. Suppertime meant that everyone would soon be sitting around the table, talking about what went on during the day, and sneaking crumbs to Bentley, our dog.

Cutting carrots tonight took me right back to that kitchen. Mom could peel and cut carrots faster than anyone I know. She cut them against her thumb and they would fall into the pot, making a metallic pong as they fell. Tonight, I tried a few cuts against my thumb, but was sure I'd end up with a big gash. Try as I might, I've never been able to chop carrots like her. Someday, maybe.

6 comments:

  1. I'm in the same boat, can't cut anything the way Mom (or Nana for that matter) does for fear of losing a finger.

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  2. I know what you mean. I've got a Global Pro paring knife with a wicked edge. If I tried to cut anything like that, I would sever an artery.
    Paul Harvey? Hahaha. My friend, Nigel and I would laugh ourselves foolish this summer listening to him.
    Good day!

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  3. Anonymous10:07 p.m.

    My dad (being a chef) would always pretend to cut off his finger when chopping vegetables - it'd make my heart stop every time. My mum is also really good at picking up hot stuff. I guess it all takes years of practice!!!

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  4. Funny how things can propel us back into our past...for me is Christmas tunes, they take me back to the marathon cookie-baking my mom and I would do to prepare for the company we would be entertaining. Sigh...to be 8 again.

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  5. Anonymous1:30 p.m.

    I am very respectful of very sharp knives, for good reason. No thumb paring in my house.

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  6. It must be something to do with the era- my mother's sliced carrots are so uniform and perfect-and she does them so fast! Maybe they had to learn it in home ec or something!

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