The Cellar - View Single Post

Sundae · 02-19-2012, 06:12 AM

Dads is cooking paella.
It's his speciality. He got the recipe as a 20-something when he and his friends saved up to go abroad (unusual for East End lads in the 50s).

They mostly hated all the foreign muck, but Dad was more adventurous, and got a recipe for that thingy. He had never even eaten rice before. Painstakingly translated, he was never able to make it at home. It wasn't until he married Mum and set up home he could even try to recreate it. Saffron? What was that?

He used to make it on their anniversaries or on her birthday, but over the years she lost patience with the amount of time it took and the mess it made. She doesn't remember it that way, but I was living here then as well and I know.

This year - 20 years since he last tried! - she's been on at him to make it again. Today is the day. I have no idea of the portion sizes, so I don't know if I'm included. As children we never were, but we were generally considered "fussy". As if, when we had to force down everything on our plates but would beg for a spoonful of a Vesta curry. Humph.

All I know is the rule about NOTHING CLOGGING UP THE WORK-SURFACES, EVER! has been relaxed since Thursday, when paella ingredients have started arriving. And then the big paella pan was fished out of the cupboard to contain them.

We shall see what we shall see.

02-19-2012, 06:12 AM	#468
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Dads is cooking paella. It's his speciality. He got the recipe as a 20-something when he and his friends saved up to go abroad (unusual for East End lads in the 50s). They mostly hated all the foreign muck, but Dad was more adventurous, and got a recipe for that thingy. He had never even eaten rice before. Painstakingly translated, he was never able to make it at home. It wasn't until he married Mum and set up home he could even try to recreate it. Saffron? What was that? He used to make it on their anniversaries or on her birthday, but over the years she lost patience with the amount of time it took and the mess it made. She doesn't remember it that way, but I was living here then as well and I know. This year - 20 years since he last tried! - she's been on at him to make it again. Today is the day. I have no idea of the portion sizes, so I don't know if I'm included. As children we never were, but we were generally considered "fussy". As if, when we had to force down everything on our plates but would beg for a spoonful of a Vesta curry. Humph. All I know is the rule about NOTHING CLOGGING UP THE WORK-SURFACES, EVER! has been relaxed since Thursday, when paella ingredients have started arriving. And then the big paella pan was fished out of the cupboard to contain them. We shall see what we shall see.