September 23, 2012 from Libertyville, IL

Another Something New Post Fifty

Along with tennis, being comfortable staying in a friend's home, and attending the US OPEN, all of which happened after turning fifty, I am now a believer and joyful user of Cheesecloth.  Oh yes, and using the iPhone camera, too.  Keep reading...

Earlier this evening, I honored my reduced-starchy-carb eating self with a recipe that called for grated sweet potato, apple, onion, and carrot - and the use of cheesecloth or paper towel to remove the moisture before preparing the mixture for cooking. I had seen the recipe in a magazine while getting a no-polish pedicure and so proud of myself for taking a picture of it with my iPhone 4.  (No, I did not stand in line to purchase one of the $8M worth of iPhone 5's sold this weekend...)

Whenever I come upon the word "cheesecloth" I think of my dad, Fred Bishop.  (I called him Da, not Dad, for 91 years.)  He took over the household cooking about the time I was gaining interest in cooking.  He would bring home amazing foods and cooking utensils from Zabar's in New York, and the (then) new Trader Joe's in Darien, Connecticut. As a child born in 1916 in Winnepeg, Canada, he knew hardship and not enough food.  So, for this to be his life at sixty-plus was quite an accomplishment.

When Fred passed in 2008, I was very familiar with his kitchen.  All of his thoughtfully purchased culinary inventory became mine.  His spices likely dated back to the 1950s in Stamford, CT.  The knives were the best of the best.  Boxing this up was bittersweet in that I was able to replace my own lesser-quality items and give some to his grandkids. That was a joy. 

For some reason during the packing up, I noted the cheesecloth.  Maybe because I never deemed myself "good enough" in the kitchen to even use the darned stuff.  I kept his package of cheesecloth, and tonight, four years later, I used it.  I loved it!  Compared to paper towel there is no comparison! Wow.

So - when all is said and done... Cheesecloth is queen of the kitchen today, and my dad the best role model for living life after fifty that I have known.

I love you, Da, and Mom. Thanks for all you gave me in thought and deed.