Love people - cook them tasty food
This post was originally published on Corrina’s Caringbridge site:
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/corrina
Whenever the going gets tough for me and others, I cook. I love delivering home made meals to friends, family and even strangers in need of food that has taken time to prepare. I have always prided myself on using ingredients that don't come from a box or can. These meals require my full attention since I'm chopping, dicing, grating, stirring, simmering, boiling, covering, uncovering, pureeing, and sometimes whipping. Sundays are usually my slow cooking day. But first a side bar as to what brought me into the kitchen where I find joy, peace and stability.
My mom was a baker. She wasn't good at meat 'n potatoes but she could bake the best bread ever. I kept up that tradition when my children were little. I would make a batch of bread on a Sunday morning, waiting impatiently for the loaf to rise, and much more impatiently waiting for it to bake. Fresh out of the oven we would cut thick slices and smother each slice with butter. I remember those hot slices of bread with butter dripping down Corrina and Dylan's little hands. There's nothing better than bread baking in the oven that brings little ones into the kitchen to hang out with their mom. Anxiously awaiting for the best treat ever.
When I reflect on my life, the special times were those involving food. Cold oven pound cake was made every year for Corrina's July 16th birthday. This was a labor of love because a July birthday in the heat of the midwest (I believe Iowa City, IA is hotter and stickier in the summer than West Hartford, CT) would warrant an ice cream cake instead of a pound cake that baked in the oven for 3 hours. What went on the top of this pound cake was homemade ice cream hand cranked in a White Mountain ice cream maker. The kids would take turns sitting on the top of the crank mechanism so the barrel would stay steady. It was a fight over who got to lick the paddle [sometimes the kids won the battle ;-0] I made this cake for Corrina's birthday for a little over 30 years until their was a shift to plant based, natural sugar focus. While Corrina was living in Santa Barbara, I would overnight the cake making sure it would arrive on her birthday. P.S. I forgot to mention that the cold oven pound cake recipe was passed down to me from my mom.
Well, the going has gotten extremely tough right now and I'm back in my kitchen when I'm not with Corrina. It's much harder following a recipe since my mind and body are tethered to my daughter. Our neighbors gifted us with a juicer so we may juice for Corrina's wellness. Corrina received a juicer from the Law School so she will be happily juicing away once she returns home. Steve was the operator the first time around for our juicer and likened it to using a wood chipper. He did such a good job, I've now appointed him the master juicer at 29 Sandhurst. Corrina and David said that Steve's first batch was quite tasty. P.S. Elizabeth Conklin, Gregg Adler and little Henry (the one running that household) put together a lovely food bag for Corrina which included the first run at the Nutrition Stripped green juice. I figured if they could do it, so could we.
I've been able to sleep in my own bed these past few nights since David I. has been staying with Corrina at The Reservoir. Plus now that Corrina's Dad, David R., is in CT for awhile, I've got some time to get some things done at home to support Corrina wherever she may be and whatever she needs. The first text came through yesterday morning . . . me - Want anything for breakfast? Corrina - Yes please. They just brought me a plate full of eggs. Corrina's chart notes that she is vegan. Hmmmm, maybe eggs don't really come from a chicken or maybe a chicken isn't considered an animal. The vegan diet definitely challenged UCHC during Corrina's stay there and I'm not surprised The Reservoir has any idea what a vegan eats. Later in the day another text, this one from David I - Claudia, the menu here is horrible. Could you make a few things for Corrina for dinner: brown rice, sauteed greens (evoo & salt), avocado. me - Yes, will do. Steve, my best sherpa, was out on the road and I redirected him to WFs to pick up the greens and avocado.
David's mom, Wendy Iscove, is also just like me when it comes to being in the kitchen stirring up love. Wendy is our vegan/gluten free baker. The first few nights while at UCHC, Wendy brought a couple containers of these amazing banana muffins, some with vegan chocolate chunks. For some reason, I missed out on getting any of the first batch ;-( David is a stress eater and ate all of the muffins but saved two for Corrina. Now that's true love. He could have eaten them all ;-0 Love you, Wendy, for all that you're doing for your son and my daughter. We've got to keep David fortified because not only is he Corrina's Rock of Gibraltar he's mine as well.
Witnessing every day of this damn nightmare and seeing the immense love and support that pours from this man into my daughter fills me up with love for him. It's so easy seeing how his unconditional unwavering love replenishes Corrina's reservoir. We love you David.
I don't know what's on the menu today but it will be something filled with love that will give my daughter strength to be the warrior that she is.
I love you, Corrina.