A Meal

This weekend, my Mother came home. She went to attend a seminar in Beijing, China. Aside from the usual pasalubong, souvenirs/gifts purchased from China, and other things she brought, My Mother carried with her stories of her travel. Tales of how modernised China was, how they were preparing for the Olympics, and the brief encounter with two burned buses outside of Beijing. Just goes to show that despite progress each country has its owns burdens that it must resolve. Although, two burned buses would like two pebbles compared to damage France is suffering right now from the riots that seemed to be coming economic marginalisation and alleged discrimination. The two burned buses though did not catch my eye as much as what my Mother described as one of eight-course meal she ate in Beijing. At first I thought she would be talking of the eight-course meal from a donkey or a sheep, which according to National Geographic is the specialty in one of the cities in China. Nor was it the Mann Hann feast served in one of the restaurants in Beijing, the menu and recipes culled from an ancient document from the Emperor's kitchen. She described a meal devoid of meat and fish. It was composed mostly of vegetables and rice. The dishes were stir-fried and crisp. An eight-course meal full of vegetables finished off with a dessert of apples and tomato apples. It was a simple and sumptuous meal, the tautology notwithstanding. Catalysed by this event, last night she prepared for us a vegetable feast. It was a delight. Each dish was delicious and filling. One could not imagine such ingredients prepared that way. It was a refreshing change of pace. This reminded me that cooking vegetables and giving advice are nearly similar in that there is an appetizing and a non-appetizing way to prepare, cook and serve it. And the success or failure of the dish will depend on the cook. A condescending and un-emphatic cook, like a condescending and un-emphatic person, will most of the time serve an un-appetizing dish. ________________________________________________________ Additional Posts for Today Encouraging Children to Read Mimi Wo Sumaseba Sierra Madre & Laguna Lake