Cornbread and Beans Dr. Juan Harrison
Cornbread and Beans
The weather was turning chilly tonight, so I pulled a few potatoes, some onion, and half a dozen other ingredients from the pantry. Sometime back I started writing the name of the contents of the cans on top so that when I pulled out the rolling shelves at my feet, I wouldn’t have to hunt through both shelves for my desired ingredients. In an hour or two it would be done with a container of it headed to the wife’s dad’s house as he approaches 90.
Yesterday we put on a pot of pinto beans. I cooked a couple of pans of cornbread. We loaded up another container to take to her dad’s. Food we can help with; fighting Old Loneliness is something all widows and widower will face if your sweetie goes first.
I was thinking of the foods I’ve eaten in other countries. I took a list with me to Europe. Peach melba, cherry jubilee, crepe suzette, caviar, lobster tail. A chef friend of mine inherited a building near the German village where I lived. Relocating from Pittsburg, PA he converted the old water wheel into a first-class restaurant. Hence, I gave him the list and asked him to help this poor boy from East Texas fulfill his culinary dreams. As I visited other countries I filled in any missing wishes.
Like first loves and memories of home runs and championships in our youth, the tug on my tastebuds has a lighter pull on my tongue and my tummy. Seems like these days life is a bit simpler. Cornbread and beans, cornbread and milk, homemade soup, roast beef at Karen’s café in Paris or hamburger steak over at Weezies in Blossom. I’m glad for the great memories, but these days give me the simple life. Gravy and biscuits, some charro beans at Tejano’s in Cooper, a sloppy joe at Bodacious, it’s all good.
One of the advantages we can enjoy as we move into our golden years is the ability to start decluttering our lives. Retirement lets us focus on the things we want and like to do and eliminate some of those things we grew tired of like deadlines and emails. We can be more selective of what we eat and how often we eat it. Sadly as a number of old friends have begun to spend their sunset days alone, I see them likely to subsist on cereal and snacks as cooking becomes too difficult for them. My wife faithfully tries to keep her widowed father well-nourished as he fights the loneliness battle.
Simplify, simplify. The simpler we can make our lives as we age, the less complicated our decisions about ordinary life become. We don’t require a big menu at our house. If we haven’t had it in a while, then cook it up. If you have a widowed father, take him some. If not, share some with the widow lady down the street. She might appreciate it. If not, find somebody to share your favorite home cooking. Don’t know many folks who would decline some home cooking. Don’t know many folks who would decline some cornbread and beans. Throw in a little onion. Add some sweet tea. Now you’re talking feast!
By Dr. Juan Harrison
