In Italian families, once a week the family eats a big dinner together. Sundays. Sometimes Tuesdays too. In my family it was always every night. Topher wasn't always there once he moved out, but he often stopped by for dessert and to take leftovers home. My grandma got angry he wouldn't stay but it was that fake angry old people do.
My mother always set the table ahead of time for meals. Part of cleaning up from dinner was setting the table for breakfast. Part of cleaning up from after-school-snack was setting the table for dinner. The flowers got moved to the bookcase to make room on the table for all the food.
My grandma had a completely packed refrigerator at all times. Even though she was only one person. I remember asking her why it was so full, and who ate all the food, but can't remember her answer. You were never supposed to screw around in her kitchen. If you wanted anything you were to ask for it, and she would get it for you. This might take a few minutes while she moved dishes around in there, but it was always worth the wait.
You know those grandmas on tv who always let you taste from the stirring spoon whatever was being cooked in the big pot on the stove? Not my grandma. She kept a tasting spoon next to the stirring spoon for curious little girls.
Oh! And she had this way of talking you into doing things that ordinarily would not be things you wanted to do, like drying dishes or washing the table, but when my grandma asked, she somehow made you feel honored. I wish I remembered how she'd phrase it - it was like magic. Danielle and I used to beg to be allowed to help.
2 comments:
You know, not a lot of people use a tasting spoon and they should! Gramma was right to have one.
I caught mono late last year and I was diagnosed in early Jan. The only thing I can think...how I got it was from the potluck dinner we had just before Christmas and someone who had mono used the stir-spoon to taste the food.
Not only did I have mono, my husband had it, and several other people at my husband's job had it! Ever since, I've decided that you need to have a taste spoon in addition to the stir-spoon! :)
I'm visiting from NaBloPoMo!
this is an admirable knack - asking the right way so the person asked actually feels honored.
i remember my grandfather could do it - when he asked me to do something for him i would always feel trusted and appreciated.
he had a great sense of humor, too. when he would say goodbye he used to say "be good. if you can't, be careful". i loved that.
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