The Ethnic Mother Gene

I grew up in a matriarchal society – or rather South Africa, where we let the boys think they are in charge and then get them to light the braai which we enjoy a glass of wine.    Love is food!  If you’re tired, ill, happy or your leg is about to drop off, then don’t worry tannie (or auntie) will make something that will make you feel better.  Nothing can’t be cured with the right ingredients and – if you are British – a cup of tea!

So what is this phenomenon?  I call it the “Ethnic mother” syndrome as my Indian, Chinese, Jewish, Muslim, Cajun, Afrikaans and Irish friends seem to have a proud tradition of “Food = love”.   However – despite being somewhat of a hybrid - I am sure that I have the “ethnic mother” gene as when a cold hits, I reach for the Chicken and noodles or if someone’s love life implodes its gooey chocolate every time.

So how do you recognise if you too would like to solve world peace with a well place slice of pie? If you tick yes to more than half of these questions, welcome to the club – let’s swap recipes:

1.       If the world experience a nuclear winter – or 35 people arrived unannounced – could you feed them all without having to visit a supermarket?  Just using the contents of your kitchen?

2.       Do you have go too dishes which you can whip up while washing the dishes, drinking a glass of wine, hanging up the washing, correcting homework and stepping over the random mutt in the middle of the kitchen?  Perfectly everytime.

3.       Can food cure most ailments?  You have a cold?  Yes, chicken noodle soup or fiery curry to kill the germs!  Exhausted after a long day?  Let me perk you up with something slow cooked and comforting.

4.       When you visit do you arrive with food?  Do you make people leave your home with carefully pulled together packages of leftovers? Do you offer food at Christmas, Hanukkah or Eid to anyone within a 3 mile radius irrespective of whether you know them or not?

5.       Do relatives – and not just those who are blood relatives but those of your friends – provide you with recipes?  Aunt Jo’s rice?  No worries got that sorted!  Mom’s chocolate pudding, already squirreled away.

6.       Is slow cooking and pinches of ingredient’s your friend?  I love making curry but I do so through experience, taste and time – sadly nothing I’ve managed to get into a recipe yet.

7.       Is cooking an expression of love, comfort, celebration – the list is endless.  As the advert on the British TV suggests, a shepherd pie can mean ‘I love you but I just don’t know how to say the words’.

So what is your score?  Do you have a matriarchal streak of ethnic mum?  Most foodies probably do and I would humbly suggest that while the food isn’t always uber-healthy the sheer love, companionship and care that is put into it makes it far less harmful than the pre-packaged calorie controlled supermarket offerings.

Lxx

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