K is for Kitchen

Back when I was a kid, the kitchen was strictly a woman's domain. Men only ventured into the kitchen to eat at the kitchen table.

I true division of labor defined by gender.

I remember the family dinners at my grandmother's house. She oversaw the cooking with a little help from my mom and aunt. After we ate, all of the women would return to the kitchen for clean up duty and gossip. Oh, how they gossiped! No one was immune – not even the preacher and his wife.

The men would gather either on the front porch or in the living room (depending on weather). They'd discuss politics, hog prices and whether the weather would hold so they could cut hay and bale it the next week.

Depending on our gender, the kids would join the appropriate group or would head outside to see what kind of trouble we could get into.

With that upbringing, I never learned to cook at home. When I struck out on my own, I had to make do with either peanut butter sandwiches or eat out.

Times have changed.  Mostly at my wife's insistence.

It all started innocently enough. "Dear, please unload and load the dishwasher."  Followed by, "Please take out the trash every day — it stinks if you don't."

Then came, "Come here. Let me show you the proper way to cook eggs."

Other instructions followed. Thus, when she was laid up with surgery on her hand and later a broken arm from ice skating, it was easy for me to assume the cooking duties.

The only problem was she enjoyed  her time out of the kitchen. Damn it.

I don't really do fancy stuff. Just meat and toss steam-in-the-bag veggies in the microwave. But it is edible. Despite a huge spice rack in the kitchen, I only use salt, pepper and garlic powder. And, I use that combo on everything!

I do have one signature item in my culinary skill set. Everyone loves my homemade vinaigrette. I mix it and pour it into an empty red wine vinegar bottle.  My recipe:

* Half cup of red wine vinegar
* Half cup of vegetable oil
* Lots of salt, pepper and garlic powder
* Teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?