#6 in the Poetry Potluck Series, celebrating National Poetry Month 2012.
via New Jersey Jewish News
Today I’m very pleased to welcome New Jersey poet Gail Fishman Gerwin to the Potluck, the first of four guest poets who write primarily for adults rather than children. Whether you celebrate Passover or Easter, it’s likely you’ll be spending time this weekend observing holy rituals and sharing special meals with family and friends.
Gail is sharing a poem from her poetic memoir, Sugar and Sand (Full Court Press, 2009), a 2010 Paterson Poetry Prize finalist. “With or Without Rice, a Kitchen Ballet” is one of three poems comprising a segment about Gail’s mother, “Mastering the Art of Cele’s Cooking.”
Most of you know there’s nothing I love more than a recipe/cooking poem, and this slice-of-life beauty provides ample nourishment for body and soul, a delicious blend of family history and cultural heritage. We thank Gail for so generously sharing precious photos of her parents, sister, daughters and grandchildren, four generations in her family who’ve enjoyed stuffed cabbage at Passover. Gail has already made two batches for tonight’s Seder, which will include gefilte fish, matzoh ball soup, brisket, spinach gnocchi, matzoh kugle, sponge cake, and veggies, among other special foods. Yum!
Gail’s daughters, Karen (10) and Kate (7), at the Seder table.
Now, let’s listen to the voices from Cele’s kitchen.
And I say there is nothing more endearing than a college student learning how to make his first soup from his mother and his aunt. Via laptop, of course.
I was tickled pink to find Daniel Nyikos’s poem happily simmering over at Ted Kooser’s American Life in Poetry. Love the juxtaposition of old world and new, the easy family banter, and proof once again that love is the best seasoning for any soup.
POTATO SOUP by Daniel Nyikos
I set up my computer and webcam in the kitchen
so I can ask my mother’s and aunt’s advice
as I cook soup for the first time alone.
My mother is in Utah. My aunt is in Hungary.
I show the onions to my mother with the webcam.
“Cut them smaller,” she advises.
“You only need a taste.”
I chop potatoes as the onions fry in my pan.
When I say I have no paprika to add to the broth,
they argue whether it can be called potato soup.
My mother says it will be white potato soup,
my aunt says potato soup must be red.
When I add sliced peppers, I ask many times
if I should put the water in now,
but they both say to wait until I add the potatoes.
I add Polish sausage because I can’t find Hungarian,
Daniel’s poem prompted a recipe search for Hungarian Potato Soup. There were many variations, of course, some were clear and some were creamy. Some were simple concoctions of potatoes, water, milk, onions, salt and paprika — while others called for sour cream, celery, tomatoes, even garlic.
I also learned a bit more about Hungarian paprika and its varying degrees of hotness. Didn’t want to set my mouth on fire, so with apologies to Daniel’s aunt, I adapted a simple crock pot recipe and used both hot and sweet paprika. Like Daniel, I couldn’t find any Hungarian sausage, so substituted Polish Kielbasa. And like Daniel’s, my soup eventually turned into a “stew.” But it made a nice winter’s meal, along with crusty bread and fresh creamery butter. Next time, I’ll experiment with smoky paprika. I feel like part of the family now ☺.
*
HUNGARIAN POTATO AND SAUSAGE SOUP
5-6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2″ cubes 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon hot paprika 1 teaspoon celery seeds 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 white onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk 1 ring turkey kielbasa
Place potatoes, broth, paprikas, celery seeds and salt in 4-quart or large slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to cooker.
Cover. Cook on low 4 to 6 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Stir to break up potatoes into broth for a slightly chunky consistency.
Add dill, nutmeg, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir in milk. Add sliced sausage and cover. Cook 20 to 30 more minutes, or until heated through.
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Poet and fiction writer Daniel Nyikos was born in Germany to a Hungarian mother and an American father of Hungarian descent. He earned his B.A. and M.A. at Utah State University and is currently working towards his doctorate in Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska. I wonder if he has finally perfected his Potato Soup?
What was the first soup you ever made? Who taught you the recipe?
♥ Talented poet, proud grandmother and excellent cook Elaine Magliaro is hosting today’s Poetry Friday Roundup at Wild Rose Reader. Get thee hence and check out the full menu of poetic goodness being served up in the blogosphere this week.
For the last four years, the pasta of choice here at Alphabet Soup has been your Sesame Street Organic Alphabet Pasta. These friendly letters have been used exclusively for the many bowls of pub day celebration soups featured in my ongoing Soup of the Day series.
Recently I discovered you’ve discontinued this product!
*weeps*
I had been faithful to your alphabets for good reason. Not all alphabet pastas are created equal, and Earth’s Best really was THE BEST!
AS Kitchen Helpers give Earth’s Best six paws up!
It had nothing to do with being organic, or that cute picture of Grover on the box (he still does a happy dance whenever Carrie Jones’s name is mentioned). No, it has to do with strength.
While not the biggest letters once they’re cooked up, these guys stood up to being boiled, drained, sorted, then carefully lowered with toothpicks into soup without breaking.
If you accidentally dropped them, they’d giggle and happily bounce off the floor, all the while remaining intact. If you placed them a little too much to the left or right, they didn’t mind being pushed over a smidge or two. Once refrigerated, they retained their fresh appearance for two weeks, anxious to star in future soups.
But now, they’re gone. *bites knuckles*
Apparently you discontinued them sometime last Fall (?), but I only found out recently when I got down to my last half a box.
Oh sure, there’s some kind of replacement available with the same distributor listed. It goes by the brand DeBoles, Kids Only! Yeah, a red box, also organic, with slightly larger letters than before.
Imposter!
I don’t mind the larger size, but these letters are thinner and tend to break if you just look at them the wrong way. Wimps!
Behold imposter DeBoles along with store brand.
Earth’s best (left), teeny tiny store brand (center), DeBoles (right)
We’ve shopped around for other brands — our local Giant has a store brand, but the letters are just too small. Amazon offers several others, but you have to buy a 12-pack for $40 or something. Can’t risk that.
Why, oh why?
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Now I may need to get a new job, like selling vacuum cleaners or something. I just can’t see myself making any more pub day soups without my favorite alphabet pasta. 😦
Earth’s Best, I’m hard pressed (and screwed).
Gone to pot,
Jama Rattigan Former Head Soup Maker
(Formerly your biggest fan who bought so much of this product I practically owned stock in the company.)
P.S. If anybody out there can vouch for Ronzoni, DaVinci, Hello Kitty, Racconto, La Moderna, Eden Organic, or any other brand, please let me know. I’m looking for medium sized letters that can stand a little handling, don’t plump up too much after cooking, and will photograph nicely.
For many kids, the best time of the school day is opening their lunch boxes to see what delicious treats are inside.
Will they find their favorite PB&J, baked chicken drumsticks, or a special bento? I can remember having only one lunch box as a child — it was a red and black plaid tin, and I might have taken it to school fewer than six times. I was enamored with the prospect of soup in the thermos, a baloney sandwich, Fritos, and a Hostess cupcake. But after facing a smashed or soggy sandwich once or twice (my mom insisted on including an apple), I went back to cafeteria food.
These days, I’m envious of kids who take their lunches in insulated totes and bags, or whose food is lovingly packed in divided plastic containers (there’s a whole new world of lunch box fashion going on). Sandwiches remain a traditional favorite, but in this day and age of smoothies, wraps, and rice balls, all it takes is thinking outside the box just a little to make lunch more varied, interesting and fun.
For some great ideas, check out MY LUNCH BOX, a cool selection of 50 recipes created by Hilary Shevlin Karmilowicz. They’re packed in a spiffy recipe box illustrated by Rebecca Bradley, and feature Mains, Sides and Treats. Mix and match recipes from each category for a healthy, balanced mid-day meal, or pick any one of them to supplement things you usually pack.
If you want to stick with sandwiches, consider reinventing them — what about a Cheesy Pleasy Pocket, Chillin’ Chicken Caesar Wrap, or a Banutty (peanut butter between two slices of homemade banana bread)? Choose a quick quesadilla, make sure your dogs are dapper, fill up on frittata after hamming around. Not into sandwiches? Go for soup or salad: Chicken Noodle in a snap, Chow-Down Chicken Chili, Pizza Pasta Salad. My favorite? Alphabet Soup (Ms. Karmilowicz is a wise woman). And for those days when you’re short on time or energy, there are some no-recipe suggestions, which require only two or three ingredients and a few minutes to pull together.
What about the sides? Choose from veggie dips to muffins to pinwheels to more salads to eggs to fruity cheese kabobs. Then top everything off with a healthy treat: yogurt fondue, granola bars, smoothies, and carrot cupcakes, to name a few. As with the Mains, you’ll find no-recipe ideas for Treats and Sides.
Each cheerfully illustrated recipe card will inspire budding foodies to experiment in the kitchen (steps requiring adult supervision are clearly marked). Extra recipe cards, colorful stickers and tips for keeping foods hot or cold round out the collection. Great for encouraging parent-child participation, likely to make lunch the most anticipated meal of the day. There’s something to be said for appealing presentation, lots to be said for family bonding and the satisfaction of mastering new skills. Kids seem to especially love something they’ve made themselves — what better way to engage, excite and nourish!
Jama's Alphabet Soup 