Talking Recipes

When I called mama last night she told me they had a cooking demonstration at Concord Place yesterday afternoon. For entertainment.

"No kidding." I said as I visualized a picture of that group of 80 plus year old folks, living in an assisted living facility without access to even a hot plate, sitting in rows with their wheelchairs and walkers, watching someone show them a new recipe.

"Yes. It was the chef from our kitchen who did it. He showed us how to make hummus.
Have you ever had it."

"Yes, I have. I love it. How did you like it?"

"Well, not too much. You probably have to develop a taste for it - but it was better than the lunch - so I ate a lot of it. And the crackers were real good."

She told me what he had done. "He whirred up garbonza beans with olive oil in the blender. Added "three gloves of garlic. You could smell it all over the room."
"Did he add lemon juice?"
"Oh, yes. He told us they eat this in India and Pakistan - all over those countries.
He is going to do another demonstration next week - and he asked us for suggestions."

Knowing she really liked it, I volunteered, "you could ask him to make pimento cheese and see if he does it like Daddy did."


"I could. I could. You remember, your Daddy used a grinder, one that you clamp to the table."
We laughed. We were both quiet for a minute, making our picture of daddy in their kitchen concocting pimento cheese when he had a yen for it.

"Ellouise, what did he put in his pimento cheese, do you remember?"

"You bet. I make it sometimes. Did I ever tell you I bought one of those table grinders at a thrift store? I keep it in the kitchen and I won't get rid of it - in case I want to make the "real" thing."

"Tell me what your Daddy used. I might just tell that man. It would taste good."

Daddy's Pimento Cheese

A block of yellow long horn cheese
2 jars of pimentos
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper
REAL mayonnaise - he always used Hellman's

If you have one a grinder that you screw onto the edge of the table.
Otherwise - use the blender.

Grate out a plate full of cheese.
Run the pimentos ( a few at a time)and the cheese through the grinder, catching it in a bowl.This is a balancing act. If you need more, grate more cheese. It should be a little more cheese than pimento in the end.
Stir together.
Add salt and pepper to taste and a flick of cayenne pepper.
Add mayonnaise to moisten and to taste.

Delicious! This is the real stuff - not that goop you buy in little plastic tubs in the supermarket.