It only depends on you!

Let me tell you something: every dish is unique. When I say unique, I mean each one has different ingredients, history, origins, cooking and baking time, mixing, recipe and secrets. After reading some of “Secret Ingredients’ (The New Yorker - book of food and drink) short stories, I realized how special can be common food like casseroles, bagels or chicken wings. Each dish has its own spot in food world. It doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive or be prepared by a chef, it can be really simple. They are just special because are made with effort, dedication and creativity. That’s why each one is irreplaceable.

M.F.K. Fisher in her “Nor Censure Nor Disdain” story talks about how popular are casseroles in homes where there are not servants and why people make them every day. Actually, I didn’t know how to prepare a casserole at all. I would never imagine the “formula” of this dish will be based in not completely fresh ingredients or leftovers and blend of “dozen of indistinguishable hints of exhausted flavors” (116). This means that you can use anything in a casserole. However, Fisher says “casseroles are here to stay a long time, and they are, for good or for ill, a part of our living patterns, and I think it is dastardly to reduce them to mediocrity” (116). I agree Fisher. Even though casseroles are easy, we can evolve new ways or use our creativity to make them the most “luxury” and delicious dish ever! It only depends in how special we want to make it.

On the other hand, Calvin Trillin decided to compile a short history of the Buffalo chicken wings. Ironically, they don’t have a long history. They appeared less than 20 years ago. The end of this mini story is that Trillin never finds the true origins of Buffalo wings. What I like wasn’t the investigation he made, was its conclusion. It is almost impossible to fix an exact date or precise Buffalo wings beginning. Establish food origin’s is something impossible because different people, including different countries, could have invented this special recipe. The fact that matters, it’s that Buffalo wings are one of the many chicken wings versions and they are delicious because of its sauce and deep fried component. That’s what made them special!

Trillin tells other of his great stories about his efforts to find a bagel’s place in New York. In this new trip he called people, walked all around New York and explored the city in order to locate this place. The principle reason of his entire mission is he and his daughters have always loved these bagels. According to him, there is a big difference between these bagels and those you can find in American supermarkets. The authentic ones had been hand rolled and boiled in a vat and then carefully baked. Even though the original place doesn’t exist anymore; he is concerned in finding the perfect bagels to share with his family. “How was I to know that bagels can be instrumental in keeping families intact?” (299), says. Yes, bagels or just other food stuff can be special because they can be the click that joins us to our families or simply because it brings us good memories together!

Don’t worry if your daily dishes are undemanding or simple. You can always make them special!