Quick, Fast and in a Hurry

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Everyone knows that I am a big advocate for teaching folks how to cook. Look, there aren't many things you have control over, young or old, but when given the opportunity you should attempt to have control over what goes in your stomach; since you are what you eat. I spent Easter Sunday with my daughter who is seriously interested in learning to cook. She said she wants to be a “good cook.” I think she now understands that anyone can throw water in a pot and boil an egg or spread butter, cinnamon and sugar on bread to make cinnamon toast, but not everyone can cook greens and cornbread from scratch or roast a bird.

I can’t really remember when folks stopped cooking like my grandma Lula Simpson who could make a possum sing; but I think it was somewhere around the early 1960s or a bit before. It was when Mr. Kentucky Fried, Mickey D’, and charbroiled burgers came into being. People were so impressed with getting what they wanted “quick” that the idea of waiting for food became a nuisance, a pain, throwing patience and pressure cookers aside. I say this, because as my daughter was cooking and growing hungrier by the minute, I saw what most folks felt back in the day, impatience and a strong desire to have the food "quick, fast and in a hurry."

Homemade, scratch, “dump” cooking has never been prepared “quick, fast and in a hurry.” Years ago, we did not live in a quick, fast and in a hurry type world. I wanted so badly to tell my daughter, what you want to do is just not in your genetic make-up. She was born to the “quick, fast and in a hurry” generation and trying to perform like the slow and easy tortoise who as we all know wins the race. Unfortunately my daughter was not really in the mood to hear this and just gave me a disturbing look that let me know that if that damn bird had to stay in the oven one more minute; or if that dressing was not ready to leap out of the oven onto her plate in the next 30 seconds, there would be trouble, serious trouble. Luckily the timer had four minutes on it and I just got up and headed to pull everything out of the oven, ready or not. Fortunately for the bird and the dressing they were both ready for lift-off.

It was strange as I watched my daughter cook and sat explaining what and why this or that had to be done, I never really paid much attention to how I worked my culinary magic. I just worked it. How did I know to add a pinch of this or another egg to the dressing to get just the right consistency? It was all due to experience; and I reminded myself and my daughter that the only way you become a good cook is by doing. There are books, classes, television programs and online lessons; nothing replaces good old fashion practice; or should I say that four letter word, WORK! Anyone, everyone becomes a good cook by working at it, plain and simple.

For those who were wondering what we had for dinner, the menu included:

Homemade Yeast Rolls
Roasted Cornish Hens
Collard-Cabbage Green (a hybrid cross between collards and cabbage common in North Carolina)
Cornbread Dressing
Cranberry Sauce
Southern Pecan Pie

My daughter was so proud of her accomplishments (and she had a right to be) she photographed everything and put it up on her social networking page to taunt her friends and other family members; and I am certain that this will not be the last homemade meal she will prepare. If given the opportunity I will attempt to put photos of her delicious delicacies on my blog for all to see.

Everyone knows I do not end a blog without a recipe unless I am running out of time. I am sharing my favorite Southern Pecan Pie recipe. Let me first tell you though, I use only Ronald Reginald Melipone Mexican Vanilla, it is my signature vanilla and makes all the difference in anything you bake or cook that calls for vanilla. If you use another brand and don’t like the pie, shame on you.

Southern Pecan Pie
Serves 6-8

1 9-inch pie shell

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup dark corn syrup
3 eggs, (large) beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Ronald Reginald Melipone Mexican Vanilla)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, salt and mix with electric mixer until opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in pecans and pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes, if crust is browning too fast cover with aluminum foil. When the pie is done, it may be a bit loose* in the center, but will set as it cools; do not over-bake.

*When I say loose in the middle, the pie should not still be liquid, just a bit loose, it will firm up as it cools.

Refrigerate any leftovers and serve at room temperature or warm.