There’s one thing about having children which is indisputable; they push you out of your comfort zone and usually when you least expect it.
Let me explain. Most of the time I love being the mother of a daughter who is studying A level food technology at school. She cooks truly delicious dishes and I revel in the fact that I’m eating comfort food in my comfort zone and someone else has cooked it. Result, or what?
Until I’m not. Experiencing comfort food or comfort zone, that is.
We were having a household discussion about offal and it has to be said that I was being a bit of a gaylord (can’t you tell I’ve got teenage kids!). I was brought up on liver and kidney, and was being rather derisory about the fact that no one else in the family likes it. What a bunch of softies!
Fast forward one week. Said daughter-cook serves up supper. Liver? Kidney? No, pigs cheeks. Yes, you read correctly, pigs cheeks! Now, I’ve managed to go for 50 odd years without sampling this delicacy and it has to be said I did not fancy pigs cheeks – I mean, would you?
Well, I gave it a go – I kind of felt I had to, honour and all that – and in fact, the meal was quite tasty!
So what did this domestic drama teach me?
- I have a very active imagination when it comes to the pig
- My childhood conditioning is strong when it comes to liver and kidney
- My daughter is a good cook and she’s smart!
- I am far more set in my culinary ways than I’d like to think I am
So, are you one of those people who doesn’t need to look at the Indian takeaway menu? You order the same thing every time? You have mental blocks about certain foods which you would NEVER try – unless of course you were forced to by a daughter?
Give it a go – next time you’re out, try something different off the menu – something (like pigs cheeks) that you’ve never tried before. And, just check in with yourself. If you’re limiting your life experience on the culinary front, you just might be limiting yourself somewhere else in life. Are you?
PS Just had a thought. Which part of the pig did she get the cheeks from? ………..