Influence
What do you remember about your grandmother? For me, it was food.
Mommy’s away. Far away, in Alaska, working on a film. There’s no doubt that Daddy could handle things, but with the school/day care closed for spring break, it was a good time to fly back to Alpine and reconnect with the kiddos.
We spent summers with my Polish Baci when we were young. She spoke no English, but we communicated well enough through food. The love came through as we watched her make us thin pancakes, crispy on the edges and filled with black raspberry jam made from berries we picked. Nut rolls filled with walnuts we picked out of their shells. It was time well spent with her and lots of cousins who understood what she said and translated as needed.
I arrived on Friday, and my Wyoming friend Paula picked me up, and we went for lunch at Picnic, a sister store of the overly popular Persephone in Jackson. Avocado toast and a latte filled the bill. We stopped at Whole Foods on the way out of town and I picked up some salmon for my first dinner back with the family. The kids love fish, so it was a good start.
The kids eat well. Yes, they could live on pasta, but they are very open to trying new foods. Exposure and lack of pressure are the keys to expanding the palate, plus letting them play outside so hard that they are starving when they come to the table. They eat fast, no lingering dinner convos, and are thrilled with fruit for dessert.
I’m back in Wyoming for a spell, and the timing gave me the opportunity to take Kirk, 5, and Iris, 3, to the No Kings protest in Thayne, Wyoming, population @700. The turnout on Saturday proved that Wyoming isn’t completely red; there were about 75 of us on Main Street representing Star Valley, waving flags and making a ruckus. Many pickup trucks passed, drivers resolutely staring straight ahead or worse. And many Subarus passed, honking wildly.
I’ve been to protests in Sedona, AZ, Cape May Court House, NJ, and Washington, DC in the past year, but the one in Thayne was the friendliest of all. People cared about each other, with a table set up with muffins, water, and juice boxes. There were give-aways--bubble wands, No Kings whistles, American flags, candy, streamers—— and two musicians strummed 60’s era protest songs in the background. People spoke to one another, often congratulating the many veterans present on their service. The community spirit was palpable.
Wyoming has surprised me a few times already this trip. The enthusiasm at the protest and a stranger at the hot springs, who lives in Lander, a town about 3 ½ hours away, mentioned that he and his family lived there because it was one of the few blue towns in the state. This is progress. However, when I took the kids to the local Broulims grocery store in Thayne after the protest, a very nice-looking woman with a friendly smile, handing out samples of seasoned meats and fish, seemed astonished to hear of people on the street exercising their rights. “Why would they do that on this nice day?” was her comment. Ok. I don’t like your too-salty spice mix either.
Our first Wyoming dinner was salmon, prepared simply—roasted in the oven with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. My first morning, when the kids woke up early, we planned our day over breakfast, and a cookie-making project was high on the list. I pulled the ingredients from the cupboard, but when I came up to the kitchen after my shower, Daddy was leading the charge on the project, up to his elbows in flour. Chocolate chip cookies, a recipe chosen by Kirk from his kids’ cookbook that I found at the Alpine library book sale. That’s the way to kick off the visit.
Saturday was Stephen’s cooking day, and after the march, we came home to cousin Sarah and Chris visiting from their home in Victor with their two fur babies, Owen and Scout. Stephen had planned grilled Caesar chicken cutlets served over a bright spring mix, and we snacked on tortilla chips and salsa first. The evening kid food staple was a box of Annie’s mac ‘n cheese. I had picked up a big loaf of sourdough at Picnic and some cocktail tomatoes that were passable as a bruschetta topping when chopped with a little olive oil, Balsamic, s & p, and fresh basil from a grocery store potted plant. It’s not the true flavor of summer, but it was a teaser, and the garlic-rubbed grilled bread was a tasty raft.
On Sunday morning, there was a call for pancakes, and the Kodiak cakes are their favorite, easy enough to mix up with water, but I’m not a fan, so I made myself a classic breakfast with one of the eggs from the dozen and a half that Paula had given me from her work friend who has chickens. Those well-tended chickens are busy producing this week before Easter! The golden yolk brightened my morning.
Iris and I peeled off to Jackson for the afternoon, leaving the boys to do boy things in the garage. They were planning seeds for the garden and tinkering. We dropped by the Spanish Palm Sunday mass at Our Lady of the Mountains, with Roman centurions at the ready, went to the library in Jackson, and then to lunch, again at Picnic for an egg souffle, a bowl of chicken and wild rice soup, and a Chai tea. The library renovated the kids' playroom, and it is now a taco truck. Perfect for our little chowhound who got right into the role of chef.
Yesterday morning, remembering my own Baci’s pancakes, I made them some quick crepes and filled them with a smear of their homemade ice cream from the freezer, along with blueberries and blackberries. We later experimented with a plum jam filling and butter with brown sugar, Kirk’s suggestion.
We didn’t really need words.
Quick Crepes
Makes about 12 six-inch crepes
Crepes really do benefit from letting the batter rest for a couple of hours before cooking, but these are easy to make, and you can skip that step. When your audience isn’t so discerning, these are just fine.
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup AP flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Unsalted butter for frying
Put the eggs, milk, and melted butter in a blender, then add the flour, salt, and sugar. Let ‘er rip until smooth. Fry in a small sauté pan or cast-iron pan, adding a teaspoon of butter each time.
Fill each crepe with whatever you like, or drizzle with maple syrup.
(I do believe that my Baci’s pancakes were crepes fried in a lot of lard or shortening to get those crispy edges.)
Oxford Dictionary:
Influence-- the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something
My memories of my Nana were first Fridays walking from St A’s school for lunch. Campbells tomato soup, 1/2 Tuna salad on toast listening to I want to hold your hand by the Beatles! So special ! Last a lifetime. You are the grandmom of the traveling pants!💜
What a great memory! The whole thing. It really touched a nerve for you, Sc’Eric. Thanks for sharing. I will ponder that Concord grape pie idea. We do have two vines in our yard but the birds usually beat us to the fruit.