Dashes And Pinches "It was the pea salad, wasn't it?" Jerry asked softly.
I sopped up tears with my cloth napkin and tried to speak around the knot in my throat. "Yes, it looked just like Mom's, didn't it?" We'd just started through the line at Luby's; I briefly glanced at the assortment of fruits and salads before a gasp escaped me, followed by tears out of control. I'd not had a meltdown in several months but had learned there was no predicting when or what might bring one on. I was still learning about the unpredictability of the grieving process. The pea salad was a sad reminder that Mom was no longer with us and that I'd never open her refrigeration again to find a freshly prepared one waiting for me to have my fill. Mom's pea salad was highly praised by everyone and was requested for all family gatherings and holiday dinners. Even young children with an aversion to green vegetables were known to ask for seconds. Try as I might, I had never been able to exact the recipe. As with most of Mom' s delicious dishes, precise instructions were not "written" anywhere; instead those recipes resided in her memory. She did, however, offer up directions for anyone that cared to jot them down. Said directions for her salad included all ingredients, approximate amounts, consistency, appearance, dashes and pinches. It's no wonder I've stomped my feet and thrown hissy fits trying to perfect Mom' s salad! Not to brag, but my pea salad has always been yummy and received many compliments. Still, something was never quite the same as Mother's. Maybe my dashes and pinches were the wrong size! Still, it remained a quandary even with the many adjustments I made over the years. With the passage of time, and on the occasion that Jerry and I don't agree on a restaurant, we're once again able to frequent Luby's without me coming apart at the seams. Yes, the pea salad is always there; it's a regular item on their menu and Jerry usually orders a serving. We discuss how it looks nearly identical to Mom's and that it's actually pretty good. But, no way does it rank up there "taste wise" with Mom's pea salad. I'm not the only family member that's been baffled when trying to duplicate Mom's recipe. We've put our heads together numerous times attempting to solve the mystery-with no positive results. Just recently the answer dawned on me and I wondered why it had taken so long! There truly has been a missing ingredient; an ingredient no one else can add:. a few pinches of Mother's love. A single candle can illuminate an entire room. A true friend lights up an entire lifetime. Thanks for the bright lights of your friendship. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
