Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Tuesday, 8 February 2005 - Albert Camus quote

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for a favorite quote from Albert Camus: In the midst of winter I found within me an invincible summer.

I am in a Camus-like mood as I greet another gray, snowy day. The landscape changed very little overnight. The fog still hangs low, obstructing my view of the mountains. Because I have a low tolerance for the "wet cold," T and I walk just three quick laps around the park before racing home to warm up. I yearn for just a few minutes of pure sunshine.

Today, in the midst of winter, my invincible summer resides in a bowl of roasted butternut squash glazed in brown sugar - healthy comfort food. Preparation is tricky and time consuming since I have to peel the curvaceous squash very carefully. I use my favorite ceramic knife for this task, working slowly and deliberately. The golden flesh reminds me of the fields of sunflowers I saw in France a few summers ago. I smile as I drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt, cinnamon and dark brown sugar over the mound of cubed squash. I toss everything together and place the dish in the convection oven. After an hour or so of roasting, the squash is done, browned on top and lightly glazed in caramel. With my first taste, summer returns. It's late August 2001, and I am in Paris, enjoying an hour of shopping with my niece, Rebecca.

I regret that many people don't or won't cook from scratch, preferring convenience foods made from a protein source flavored by a long list of chemicals. When we cook, we awaken our creative spirit. As artists in the kitchen, we transform familiar and exotic raw ingredients into sweet or savory concoctions. Unlike some artforms, cooking embraces all of our senses: I touch the stiff dough as I mold walnut-sized pieces into cookies; I hear the marinated skirt steak and chicken breasts sizzle on the grill as we prepare fajitas; I see the perfect feast laid out on my sister's banquet table as we gather to celebrate Thanksgiving; I smell the pan of my fresh tomato pasta sauce laced with roasted garlic and carmelized onions as it emerges from the oven; and I taste everything at least once. For me, fast food is just too fast.

For this blessing, I am very grateful.

Amen.

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