When they were growing up my kids loved my mother’s pancakes. No matter how I mixed them, my own always came up a distant second. I finally asked for the recipe and when Mom stopped laughing she said, “For heaven’s sakes. They’re Aunt Jemima!”
Even when I used the exact same mix the kids still preferred Grandma’s. When I asked why they said Grandma’s pancakes were made with love.
They were half joking, hoping to get a rise out of me, but there was truth to it as well. I love my kids and I made meals for them every day for almost twenty years, but my time in the kitchen could never be mistaken for enthusiastic.
I hated them eating processed food and they were not fans of my health attacks. I would labour for two hours to create nutritious meals from scratch only to have them grumble.
I would bring home a frozen pizza in a box and they would practically throw me a parade. I would swing between grouchy and guilty; no wonder no one could taste the love! We finally came to an agreement on a handful of medium healthy home cooked meals I made over and over.
It’s strange how much pleasure I get from vegetable gardening and yet that doesn’t seem to carry through to the kitchen.
If I lived alone I would be just like Ruth Stout from a couple columns ago and sell my pots and pans. I’d live on nothing but raw fruit and vegetables. And maybe some honey and toast.
Sometimes I watch that restaurant show You Gotta Eat Here that hunts down eatery gems all across Canada.
The joy and pride in the chef’s face when host John Catucci bites into a meal she made almost makes me cry.
She watches John roll his eyes and swoon over how good it tastes and you can tell that’s all the payment she needs.
It is such a beautiful, selfless thing to cook for another person’s pleasure and to take such delight in it.
Chefs are such beautiful people. Well, except for that Gordon Ramsay character. He’s just mean.
I know several people who love to cook so much they have opened their own restaurants.
They’re like aliens to me.
I am completely mystified by them, but curious too. They refer to their restaurants as their “dream.”
All I can think is how in the world can slaving over a hot stove all day be anyone’s dream?
For me dream cooking is making a big pot of chili, knowing there will be leftovers so I won’t have to cook for three days. Clearly I am not beautiful people.
My sister-in-law owns the restaurant at the Dawson Creek airport.
She amazes me. She works as hard as anyone I know. Cooking has been her lifelong creativity and she has perfected it into an art form.
Sometimes I dream about her cinnamon buns. Whenever I eat there it’s all I can do to stop myself from licking the plate when I’m finished; it’s that good.
My kids would say there is love stirred into every bite. And I agree. Jewel McKinnon is beautiful people.
Last week we went for lunch at The Diamond Willow Retreat. The restaurant is set up in a converted barn on an acreage located a few minutes beyond city limits.
The place oozed with the sort of ambience you can’t get by hiring a designer. There were antiques and used books for sale and local musicians that raised the rafters with lunch time song.
Karen bustled around taking orders and serving food, all the while making you feel like you were having coffee in her living room. During lulls she picked up a guitar and joined in the playing. Karen McGowan is beautiful people.
Heather owns Star Bright Farms in Baytree, Alberta.
She has her own general store, restaurant and cooks and caters.
Most importantly—to me—she is the creator of Buttery Bites Caramels.
With only five real ingredients these caramels are just like Grandma used to make. And of course, they are delicious, melt in your mouth and handmade with love.
Heather once told me how she loves to spend evenings reading cookbooks and dreaming up new recipes.
It was a revelation that left me speechless with wonder. I could do nothing but stare at her.
Heather Porrill is beautiful people.
Every community has at least a handful of beautiful people running unique eateries.
Seek out the ones near you for an experience that goes far beyond filling your maw bag. How lucky we are to live in a world where we all are passionate about different things.
If everyone were like me there would be nothing to eat but three day chili. And that’s not beautiful.
Not beautiful at all.
Shannon McKinnon is a syndicated humour columnist from Northern BC. You can read past columns by visiting www.shannonmckinnon.com