Some Kitchen Time

Since I have an awards reception to attend this morning, shabbos dinner started and continues in a crock pot.  Not a whole lot of advance planning other than thawing the chicken.  Then some vegetables past their prime, sautee the chicken parts, add a can of rinsed beans, some grain this time barley, a secret blend of spices only secret due to its spontaneity and lack of record keeping, then top with some water.  High for an hour or so, then low until dinner with maybe a stirring or two en route.  Get about three dinners from this.  Cleanup not oppressive.  Go about my day.

Mother's Day Dinner takes a much different trajectory.  As empty nesters, the kids honor Mom from afar.  I provide a card, a nominal gift, and the day in the kitchen.   Without even entering the kitchen, menu and shopping completed.  Then into the kitchen where defrosting takes literally seconds to extract from the freezer but days to acquire the ability to proceed.  Need to retrieve the two recipes that reside in my cookbook collection, largely obsolete as online has become a much better way to capture a far expanded array of recipes from a far expanded array of experts and amateurs, all at virtually no cost.  Then convert kitchen sink to milchig after shabbos for culinary marathon on Mother's Day itself.  

Since the menu is dominated by baked items, the sequence of oven use matters.  Dessert first, then bread, then entree timed to be completed shortly before serving.  Baking things also requires some assembly and modern kitchen appliances have properly displaced the elbow grease of the baalaboosta.  Wine needs to go into fridge.  Salad will need so prep time.  And a visually elegant table too.  Effort for sure, but joyful effort.