Farinata (Chickpea Pancake)
A Savory Italian Favorite
Like many alienated high school girls, I fancied myself a poet. Most of my work trafficked in despair.
In my eagerness to explore my inner emo I cultivated disdain for any societal norms. That included the paths my parents took, especially my mom, who was a homemaker. She stayed so close to home she didn’t even know how to drive, even though we lived in a suburban area with few stores of any kind, including grocers, within walking distance.
Fortunately for me, as I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate the choices my mom made. While it is not my only occupation, I no longer view making a home and everything that comes with it as drudgery or a form of imprisonment. That’s especially true for cooking.
I have good friends who spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. I had dinner with one of them last night. Her apartment has a lovely little balcony so we decided we would eat in and have potluck. Near the time of my arrival she called from a grocery store to verify what I was bringing and discuss what she’d provide. She sounded lost, and a little burdened by the task.
My friend’s grocery store dilemma illuminated something for me: far from making me feel confined, cooking liberates me. The satisfaction I get from being in the driver's seat in…
