My mom was the best cook. I know everyone says that, but really I loved my mom’s cooking. She made all the homey food. But it wasn’t just the normal homey food. She made Polish homey food and German homey and French homey food and New England homey food, because those were the foods she grew up with, being from an Eastern European and French Canadian background. It was all so good. my favorite was the way she made London Broil and ghulumpkis (polish stuffed cabbage, which I probably spelled wrong).
But the last 5 years of my mother’s life she had to “deal” with the fact that I am a vegetarian. That means she had to adjust Thanksgiving dinner, family dinners, and eating out for me. And I never really thought about it until tonight when I was eating dinner with one of my soldiers and he was talking about how delicious steak was; the flavor is what he emphasized. And all I could think of was my mom’s London Broil and how delicious it was, and how I haven’t had it for almost six years and how I will never have it again. I know thinking about food is kind of odd, but family dinners were a big deal for us. Being raised by a single parent, the nights my mom, my brother and I could all eat together were special. And holiday dinners were always a big deal for my family. So yea, food is important to me and my family. So, sitting in the chow hall all I could think was 1) I will never eat my mom’s food again and 2) how bad I felt for not eating my mom’s food and wondering how she felt about not being able to cook for me, and how it felt having to adjust dinners and recipes for me. I felt bad that I did not really eat her food for five years (and a little selfish).
Now I would give anything to have my mom back for a day, and I would give anything to eat her polish meatballs, or ghulumpkis, or kielbosa, I would not be a vegetarian if it meant I could have my mom and her cooking back for just one day. Because being together as a family for meal time was our thing, and I would do anything to have that back, especially now.