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Chop Suey

Today we celebrated Ancestor’s Day, we do this on the 11th of every month. It is a time to pray and give thanks for the lessons and teachings that we learned in life as we progressed along the journey through our days and nights. It is not only our parents, it it is teachers, friends, other family members. neighbours, health care professionals , anyone we come in contact with who may have an affect of influence us, in some way shape form or other.

The name of this piece where the two ladies are sitting at a table in a Chinese Restaurant is Chop Suey. This is an oil painting done by Edward Hopper in 1929. It is currently in a private collection, I found this copy on wikipaintings.org. This picture brings back memories of the restaurants many decades ago. As soon as we sat down, a waiter in a smart uniform of black pants and a white jacket would appear with a pot of hot tea and cups. Rice was always free with your meal. It seems that every town or city had a Chinese restaurant and each one had on the menu, a version of Chop Suey.

Cooks back then were very adaptable to the region they were cooking in. The ingredients used back in China were not readily available in the city never mind the smaller towns, so they grew bean sprouts and served a variety of meats with sprouts, celery,onion and a few slivers of peppers for colour. If they used chicken it was chicken shop suey, if it was pork, pork choe suey etc., when crispy noodles were sprinkled on top the dish became a chow mein. NO we didn’t eat chop suey at home.

Today there are Asian grocery stores almost everywhere, even the big super markets have sections dedicated to the products and vegetables used in Asian cuisine. The ingredients are there for the actual meal, but the ambiance and customer service of yesteryear. Now you pay for the tea, and the rice, and yes you have a lot to pick from on the menu, it is no longer the simple menu of choosing from column A, B or C.

We can’t go back, but when I think of the ancestors or people who influenced some of my behaviour, the cooks and waiters who came to Canada to start new lives, their beliefs that hard work and dedication to the task before them, come to mind. They came to a country where they didn’t know the language to earn money so they could send or go back for their families, They wanted a better quality of life for those they loved, so they applied Makoto (sincerity) to their lives and earnestly did what needed to be done.

I am humbled by such dedication & selfless giving for the next generation. I give thanks for this memory, and I pray that I in turn will do something worthwhile that will help those around me and who will come after me.

Veggie chop suey – Yum…. (food pictures from Pinterest)

Namaste Oyashikiri

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Fresh from the farm

We are lucky where we live, during the summer, there are always fresh produce stalls in the outdoor markets. However, even better is when we drive a little out of the city and get the produce directly from the farmer. That is what we did yesterday. I was a tad restless, my son’s heart surgery was postponed till today. I wanted a distraction and it was a lovely day for a drive to the St Lawrence. (a major waterway that borders Canada and the United States) We packed the two dogs into the car and off we went, the best part of the drive for the dogs is that there is a wonderful dog park in Morrisburg, well maintained and gated. On our way back we stopped at one of my favourite farms for fresh corn, this farm always has the sweet golden nuggets, they do have the peaches and cream too, but I like the succulent gold. The plums called out to me and of course I munched on fresh plums on the way home. At just the right time of the year, the flesh of the plum is delicate and sweet, even the skin is nice.

Diet is such an important factor in our well being, yet we forget at times that there is a difference between fresh from the farm, and store bought. I confess that even for me, it is hard to always get fresh and consume it while it is still in that very fresh stage. I bought yellow wax beans and green beans, when I prepared them for supper, they were so fresh, they snapped clean when being prepared. The smell or fragrance if you will of the vegetables was alive ..unlike a packaged vegetable that lacks any smell when you take it from the sanitized packaging. The corn was “out of this world” I do mine in the microwave, it is steamed in its own sleeves. this way, when it is peeled, it is ready to eat, no salt, no butter, just the yellow meat of the kernel. Delicious.

Having tasted one of the best veggie dinners I’ve had in a long time, I then found myself thinking of preparing a stew for my meat and potatoes hubby. Using the fresh ingredients, I would start from scratch. So today I went to the butchers to find stewing beef. There was none on hand, so had to settle for a piece of steak that needed to be tenderized. The anticipation of cutting up the meat, and preparing the vegetables was wonderful. I bought turnip, parsnip, yellow flesh potatoes, and I knew I had red onion, and fresh garlic at home. Usually we are so busy, that dinners can be something quick and easy. It was nice to chop and prepare, then get things going on the stove. The aroma that filled the kitchen was familiar and relaxing. Since I was in a cooking mood, I put a pot of water on and started a pork stock with garlic and ginger (used for making different Chinese soups).. yes I had purchased pork bones to do this while I was out. It is like a ripple in the water, the fresh produce from the farm started a need for my creativity to explore and satisfy my taste buds. My son loves to cook and has done several cooking videos on a number of dishes he likes.

I want to thank the many of you who are praying for him today, it means a lot to us. A love for cooking and good food is something that we share. Brigitte his wonderful partner in life told me he went into surgery at 7:30 this morning feeling and looking very relaxed. Food nourishes the body, love and prayer nourish the soul. My son and I are marinating right now in God’s embrace.

Blessings everyone.