Best Meals, Best Times

Few things are more satisfying than walking into a home that is permeated with the delicious aroma of freshly cooked food. My absolute favorite is walking into my mother’s kitchen from a cold winter’s day and smelling her famous pot roast simmering in the slow cooker. The meat is tender and has browned to perfection; the carrots and potatoes have soaked in the roast’s flavor and are soft yet still retain a bit of crunch; the onions are sweet and juicy; the rolls are fluffy and buttery. The whole sensory event evokes happy childhood memories of holidays at home with family and friends.

Hearty, home-cooked food has the amazing power to bring people together in a warm and inviting way. Even the preparation of the meal is significant. Each item must be of the finest in its class. At the grocery store, Mom selects the best cut of rump roast possible from the butcher; I help her find the perfect vegetables, bright orange carrots, golden yellow onions, large russet potatoes; we select the softest wheat rolls from the bakery. Back at home, she and I trim off the fat, chop up the roots, and arrange everything in the cooker. Within an hour the whole house smells of the glorious mixture.

Friends and relatives arrive and all comment on the appetizing aroma as they begin to talk and listen to each other. Mom bustles around the kitchen and living room, flitting from food to loved one. I watch her and admire her vitality and caring nature. When we all sit down to the table everything is just right; the meal, the people, the spirit of togetherness and unity. And it all stared with simple, raw ingredients chosen, cooked and served with love and care.