Dear Sarah Barry,
After just fifteen years, Sarah, [I always was a late bloomer] I finally got my mortar & pestle. I remember watching you grind fennel seeds, releasing that blissful aroma, preparing onions and garlic (for every dish!), practicing the perfect rice, trying Indian recipes, stir fry's, and experimenting with exploding, fantastical rice noodles. Oh. Those were good days and I can still feel the warm glow from your living room, catch the hot and steamy scent of good food cooking in your wok, hand-oiled, in that tiny, run-down kitchen in the back of your mother-in-law's house, or other times, in our shared apartment. You taught me to love cooking food, and to relish health and creative artistry at the same time.
I burst my new mortar & pestle out of its box, without even washing it (and you know how I feel about germs), and threw in some fennel, ground the seeds wide open and tossed them into the tomato, onion and sausage quiche I am preparing for dinner. It's baking now, and I am thinking of you with fond and loving memories.
Thank you for teaching me to love, Sarah, in so many wonderful ways. And thank you for bringing me to a deep love of cooking delicious food.
Love, Ally
photos by Scott Snyder
4 comments:
Great looking mortar and pestle Allie!! I use mine all the time. I loved reading about your special relationship with your good friend too. Everyone needs a Sarah in their lives! xxoo
Lovely story about Sarah and your mortar & pestle, Ally - and wonderful pictures of you. (Scott, the 1st and/or 4th ones could be turned into portraits with a bit of cropping.) You're looking good! I can see you now on the cover of Cooking With Ally!
Hi Ally-
I love your blog. I don't have time to read the whole thing, but I will be back. I love the way you think. Thanks for adding Casey and Pete to the memorial ceremony.
I really don't want to be anonymous. I'm Berne. I'll try again.
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