Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Grandma's Noodles


The boiling water is bubbling away, the savory onions and celery tumbling round and round, tender chicken slowly cooking, ahhh...the air wafting up, filled with memories of times gone by.  


Sleepovers at Grandma's were always an anticipated event.  The Muppet Show, Grandpa's martini's and celebratory speech where he ushered me over to sit on his lap and whispered, "Susie, you are my first granddaughter and you are my favorite granddaughter.  Don't you ever forget that."  My hunch is he gave these "secret" speeches with every grandchild during a sleepover (: Then there was the ever anticipated dinner, always (well for this grandchild), Grandma's Noodles!


Why I loved this meal so much I'm not sure?  Was it the dense, chewy egg noodles?  The savory, moist chicken?  Did I love it because it was a meal prepared with me in mind?  Or was it that the meal became a symbol of care, comfort, home? Grandma had prepared something special just for me to share with her.


My favorite part of sleepovers, well, besides the meal, was when we got ready for bed and went into the guest room.  Grandpa slept in their bed and Grandma came to spend the night with me. As she began to pull up the bed covers I'd give my knowing smile, "Uh Grandma, can we get out the silky blanket?" This was the special down blanket hidden away in the guest closet.  The one that looked like a Hollywood starlet might use it.  I nestled in the covers as she gently laid it over me.  This was when the real entertainment began, the Muppets had nothin' on Grandma, as she begin to share stories from her life.


"Oh Susie, we used to go to these parties....we'd eat and dance and dance.  But you know what part I liked best?  The neckin', I loved the neckin!"  My head falls back in laughter as I write those words.  Grandma of wisdom imparting to me....enjoy a good make out every now and then ( :




And I guess that's why today as the noodles soften and pot begins to boil my heart smiles and sighs all at once r e m e m b e r i n g how the sacred can show up in a pot of noodles.  







3 comments:

Lisa said...

LOVE IT! :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Like you and your grandma. Grandma was a
loving,caring, and very giving person. Her recipe for life and noodles was the same. RCS

Anonymous said...

Ditto!
Love,
Mum