Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

If you listen to the news, watch TV or read a newspaper these days you will know that food is bad for you. Actually it is not the food itself that is the problem, but what we put in it and on it. Sit down to a nice meal of boiled potatoes, sweet corn, and fresh green beans and you are in good company. But once the "dinner guests" arrive and we all start to spread and sprinkle and stir it is a different story. It's not what we have for dinner that harms us but who we invite to the table.

The always present dinner guest of course is the irresistible and seductive Salt who shows up even when she's not invited. She may be oh-so-quiet and polite but don't be fooled - she is an evil bitch who just has to get into everything!

Next there is Salt's alluring little sister, Sugar - who nobody can resist. We have all loved her since we first met way back in childhood and she just seems to get in your blood. Sugar is like a favorite aunt or grandmother who sweetly offers you just one more cookie. And since she put so much of herself into them, well it would be just plain rude to refuse. And last of all there is that old country cousin Fat. Fat is that chubby little guy who everybody loves but he can get tiresome when he hangs around too long, and he usually does.

With these three always dropping by for dinner what is a person to do? After all - they are family and we can't just turn our backs on them and we can't live without them. And besides, even with their bad habits and wicked ways - we sort of like it when they show up, don't we?  Salt always spices things up and Sugar knows her way around a dance floor. But it's just not a party until good old Fat shows up. When these three get together you never know what they might cook up.

Those are the Big Bad Three and interestingly enough Fat is starting to look pretty good lately. Apparently it is OK to be Fat now - as long as you are otherwise healthy. Think about that for a minute and it actually starts to make sense. Sugar and Salt are insidious and will hound you to your grave but you can keep an eye on Fat - and you can always get rid of him by taking a nice long walk. Sugar and Salt are sneaky – you don’t always know when they come to visit but everyone knows when Fat is in the house. 

I guess the moral of this story is that it's OK to throw a little party now and then but we should watch who we sit down with every day. Good old Fat won't harm you too much if you keep on the move but don't turn your back on Sugar and for God's sake watch out for that Salt.

Birthday Birdie!

Fishandchips

Fish and chips. Two words that go together so well that it's almost like they should be one word - "fishandchips". Are there any two words in the English language that go together as well?  How about pension and cheque? "Pensioncheque". That has a nice sound to it too but what is the connection? Read on...

Everyone loves fish and chips and if anyone says they don't I expect that to be a lie of sorts. Even the Beatles love fish and chips - if you don''t believe me, click here to see what I mean. And we don't eat them enough any more, now that we know they are so bad for our health, what with all the grease and vinegar and batter and salt. Is your mouth watering too?

I have had fish and chips many times and in many ways - homemade, takeout and eat in. Fredericton has had some famous fish and chip shops and I have eaten at them all. Frank's on the Exhibition grounds was my favorite followed by the Lucky Lunch. Ozzie's down by St. Andrew's serves world class fish and chips, and I have had them in Vancouver at a famous place called "The Only Seafood" where you stood patiently in a long line just to get served what may be the best fish and chips in the world. 
But one of the most memorable times I had fish and chips was when Mom came to our place at Kelly's Court and bought us all fish and chips from Deluxe French Fries. What is so memorable about that you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

Mom bought them for us with her very own money - her first old age pension cheque. It was probably the first money that was totally hers since she had been a shop girl back in Scotland. She was celebrating. Not only the money but the fact that she had just come from a check up with Dad at the hospital and he was getting better. His cancer was "in remission" - another two words that go together very well. So Mom was pulling out all the stops - it was fish and chips for all and she was paying.

My parents were not rich – far from it. That just made whatever they gave all the more special – one of life’s many ironies I think you will agree. And for Mom to just pull that cash out of her purse and order up a feast for us all to celebrate must have felt pretty good...  I know it sure tasted good.

So have your own celebration one of these days - celebrate whatever you like but I suggest you do it sooner than later. And do it with extra batter, lots of vinegar, tartar sauce and what the hell - pass that salt shaker!