Happy (Lunar) New Year,
May the Year of the Ox bring you happiness and prosperity!
Speaking of the ox, the husband recently made oxtail stew. He did his best, but itâs not for us. Turns out, the tail of a cow isnât a great cut of meat.
The experience reminded me of when I was a kid and my great aunt put her opossum stew recipe in our churchâs cookbook. Folks were a little embarrassed. We might be hillbillies, but we didnât need to be so showy about it.
Now, though, that great aunt and most of her generation are gone, and I love that she put an antiquated recipe in the church cookbook. Just as I love having a family cookbook with some of my grandmotherâs recipes, although grandmaâs not much help when it comes time to cook an opossum.
Books, even the cooking variety, are magnificent preservers. They let their creators and contributors say, âI was here.â And books allow us to hear a voice or feel a hug we know we no longer can.
Thanks for reading,
Nick
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