| From: rona (Original Message) | Sent: 19/08/2004 6:07 p.m. |
| It was a funny kind of a day. It was still raining and the wind, even though it had died down some, still had enough strength in it to rattle the back door. The weather lately had been atrocious. "The worst it's been since the Wahine disaster!" the headlines from the paper read. Hurricane force winds, snow, rain, rain and more rain! Oh for a lovely warm sunny day. "Today's the day", I thought. "I'll get all my work done and then I'm gonna make IT!" I wanted to be alone, just in case it didn't turn out properly. That way I could throw it out and no one would be any the wiser. "What're you gonna do today Mum?" asked Eugene. "Oh, I don't know. Get my work done and then sit and read a book I suppose. I've got work tonight so I should try and have a little nap this afternoon." "That sounds like a good idea. I've got a few things to do so I'll be out for a couple of hours." Good, I thought. He won't be here to see my disaster - well it may not be - here's hoping. My housework was done in double quick time, washing on, with some in the dryer. I wish we had a carport; I could hang my washing out there before I throw it in the dryer. Might save a little on the electricity. Oh well dream on I suppose. The time had come and I got out my little recipe (well there was more like six or seven. I got them all off the internet!) "I'll try this one today!" Looked at the ingredients, I had most of them. Right down to the buttermilk!! Baking Soda? I'm sure I've got some somewhere!! Where is it? Delved into the cupboard shoving things around and found the appropriate container, only to find there was nothing in it. Damn (or words to that effect). Grabbing my keys, phone, wallet, jacket, hat, gloves - (well it's still cold out there) I jump into the car and head off down to the shops. Oh let this be a day that I don't bump into anybody I know. Unfortunately that's not the case, and I bump into a friend that I haven't seen for a while. The usual pleasantries take place and we stand in the middle of the isle in the supermarket chatting. "Gotta go" I say after a while. "Things to do, places to go, people to see! Tea to cook before I go to work. See ya later" I get home and get all the ingredients together. 'I haven't got the right "thing" to cook it in, but I'll make do with this dish' I think I took the wrong option, but the ingredients were duly mixed and put into the oven. Imagine this. Sitting in front of an oven, watching it as if it was a TV programme. I watched it rise and then get brown, cracking a little along the edges. 'Smells nice' I thought. Time was up and I took IT out of the oven. IT looked OK, and when it had cooled down some IT tasted OK (but then how do I know if it's right). "Watcha doing Mum?" Eugene was home. "What's that?" "CORNBREAD. My first attempt! Wanna try some? Here have a slice!" "Mmmm it's alright. Is it supposed to taste like this?" "How would I know. I think so." "Oh well whatever, it tastes nice" Some time later, when Terri gets home from school. "Ooooo Mum you been baking?" "My attempt at Cornbread. Have some and tell me what you think." "Hey it looks like the cornbread they had in the movie Green Mile. Tom Hanks gives it to John Coffee. Nice one Mum." Whew that's a relief. My very first attempt at something new and my kids like it. Yippee it wasn't a disaster. I'm gonna try a different recipe next time............................................ So tune in again folks, same time, same channel and read the adventures of "Making Cornbread."  Hope you all enjoyed reading my funny story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Lotsalove Rona |
5 comments:
From: MariJack1 Sent: 19/08/2004 6:38 p.m.
The spirit of adventure shines through,well done Rona,keep trying those cornbread recipes and when you strike the one you like best let's know and we will try it also.Sorry about the weather,snow on the Orongorongos(this is the Range behind where Rona Lives),cold for sure,come on over to Sunny Queensland.Well done Rona,Love Mari
From: Danny Sent: 19/08/2004 10:20 p.m.
Dear Rona, Good on you! It sounds just great. How about the smell? Do you butter it, or put jam on?
From the reaction of your family it sounds like it does'nt matter.
The way you wrote and the way explained it all was just wonderfull.
Would be pleased to hear more or read more from yourself.
Love to All, Danny Fenton
From: raf Sent: 20/08/2004 1:14 p.m.
Hi Rona,
I enjoyed your story and the details you put in makinf IT. The bread
typically has a crumbly texture. The easiest way that I have found to eat
IT is to just shove it in the ol' cake hole before IT comes apart in your
hand. I finally got to read the last Whanau news which was a delight to
read after it has sitting in my desk these past months.
Roger Fenton
Roger.Fenton@sce.com
From: rona Sent: 20/08/2004 4:00 p.m.
Hi Whanau,
Thanks for your comments. I did forget to tell everyone about the smell and taste of it didn't I! Methinks I got carried away with the story and forgot about the most important thing. The smell when it was cooking was something like that of a cake baking and the texture of it was similar to that of a cake as well. I can't think of anything it tastes like, but it was N I C E! Even if I do say so myself. Lovely warm, straight out of the oven, but I took some to work and had it with my tea, buttered of course, and it was even nicer then. The taste seemed to come through even more. Am I making everyone's mouth water? Mmmmmmm, mouth watering. Food! I think I'm going to make myself some "hot" (chilli) type noodles and have some of that deeeeelicious cornbread. I'm allowed to 'cause I just got up not long ago and I'm hungry!
Lotsalove
Rona
From: Sherrie Sent: 22/08/2004 7:03 a.m.
Dear Rona,
I have finally treated myself to a helping of your tantalizing story! A slice of life served up with savory garnishments, like the blustery rainstorm as backdrop to your inventive madness! Who would have known you could have so much fun with a topic like this, and reveal so much hidden talent at the same time? Well, your culinary adventure probably explains the reason that despite shelves groaning with cookbooks, actual results are slow in coming here in my kitchen. The recipe must be simple and with few steps, idiotproof and forgiving to a fault, and taste fantastic. And that unscheduled trip to the market for the missing ingredient would surely derail any good intentions and postpone the exercise for another day. Congratulations on your success!
Thank you also for writing about the authors you are reading, and your passion for books. You are absolutely right about reading as a way to go places. I find it so interesting that you are reading about our political leaders here, you probably have uniques insights as an outside observer. One of my goals this summer is to get rid of some of my books, to make room, but you can probably appreciate what a futile process that is. However, I will keep trying. Nicolas Sparks, C.S. Lewis, Beryl Markham, and a plethora of biographies, autobiographies, philosophers and explorers, technical books, and all manner of home imporvement, money management and whimsy, books are my great weakness. Especially during rainstorms before warm fireplaces. You've made me homesick for the pines of Portland instead of these palm trees!
Keep on baking Rona, and especially keep cooking up those wonderful stories!
Love, Sherrie
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