Lasagna and Loved Ones

My family memories are almost always tied to the kitchen in one way or another.  The kitchen is a place of warmth and joy, smiles and laughter.  It is a place where everyone is welcome, no matter their level of skill or mess-making abilities.  My sister's refusal to touch raw meat does not keep her from our kitchens, and my children are always invited to help despite their knack for knocking over carefully measured ingredients.

I have always loved to cook, and if you know anything about my family, you know it's an inherited skill.  My father would spend entire weekends in the kitchen whipping up gourmet feasts, treating us to wonderful meals and leaving the dishes to mom.  Unfortunately, I have also inherited my dad's messy ways and haven't been able to adopt my mom's clean-as-you-go philosophy, so I am always on dish duty.  Despite the way I tease my mom about her lack of culinary talent, from her I have learned the importance of a thoughtfully frosted birthday cake and the beauty of an almond crescent cookie. 

Today I am making lasagana to celebrate the arrival of our new kitchen table.  Kevin and I have been married for almost 8 years, and we have been using an old table that my mom bought at a garage sale when we still lived in Posen...so we can't even put an accurate date on it.  That table has certainly served its purpose and many memories have been made around it, but I'm super-excited for the new moments we will share around this one.  And, tonight we'll start with lasagna...

A good pan of lasagna requires time and attention.  It can't be whipped together like a weeknight meal, and lucky for me, this week is spring break.  In my family, especially the one I married into, lasagna is for special occasions and special people.  It's a Sunday night meal or an entree that is just as important as the turkey on Thanksgiving.  Without a doubt it's my mother-in-law's specialty; hers is simple and authentic, always served with her homemade sauce and a bit of sometimes-charred bread.  My step-dad's lasagna, delicious as well, is unconventional in its lack of ricotta, but still is reserved for special occasions.   Preparing food for people I love always brings me joy, and it carries me away, lost in memories of yesterday and hopes for tomorrow, but lasagna, unlike any other meal brings comfort.

Today my lasagna will be loaded with a spicy meat sauce, layered with love and served with cheap white wine.  It makes me happy, and so does my new table...so tonight, we celebrate.