I leaned my head against the cold glass window, and watched helplessly as the snow collected on the driveway. The faint smell of cigarettes, fireplace, and library books clung to the chill in the air of my grandparents house. I had come with the intention of stopping in for a quick visit, but I had stayed for just a few moments too long. I had taken one too many of one of my grandmothers infamous mismatched teacups, and played one too many hands of gin rummy. The snow was now past the invisible line of where my grandmother would say, "You'd better stay with us. Your mother would not be pleased attall if I let you drive in this weather." I had to admit, it did look pretty bad out there. The trees, which were heavy with snow, were blowing sideways and flapping in the wind. They shook out white glitter, the way giant carpets fling dust.
If I had known how brief my time with her would be, I might not have wasted so much time at the window.
I was new to driving, and to my freedom. I was only a freshman in college. I wanted to get back up to school. I had parties to go to, and friends to be with.
"Have you got a sweater miss Em? It is drafty by the window."
I felt guilty for wanting to leave. "I'm okay, thanks grandma. You know, I think that, if it is okay with you, I will stay here after all. "
I turned away from the window. My grandmother looked pleased.
"Wonderful, I'll call your mother!" She said, and she jumped up from the dining room table, and put out the end of her long Tareyton cigarette (because ladies do not walk and smoke at the same time). She headed to the kitchen for the phone. I wandered out of the dining room and and into the bright white hallway, where my aunt Beth was working on a portrait.
Beth had moved her art studio over to my grandparents house, so that she could spend more time with them. My grandfather, who was losing his mind to dementia, played solitaire through most of the afternoon, so having Beth around was probably really nice for my grandmother.
Aunt Beth hummed softly, peering at her canvas through dark rimmed glasses which magnified her eyes. She wore a skirt that hung at her ankles, and a button down flannel shirt. Her hair hung in exactly the same way that is always has over the entire course of my life. It is jet black, and comes down past her ears with bangs straight across.
I was first taught the meaning of the word "eccentric" in reference to my aunt Beth.
"Well, I think I am going to stay here for a few days."
"mmm?" She swung her head around to look at me with those giant, scrutinizing eyes.
"I mean, it's snowing pretty bad out there"
"is it? I hardly noticed." She was delicately stroking her paintbrush over the canvas, and where she stroked a cheek appeared.
Suddenly, she turned toward me. "Why don't you go get a chair. I am going to show you how to paint. "
"um, what?? I can't do that. I am a terrible artist."
"Oh? Why do you say that?" she asked.
"well, I have even had an art teacher tell me that before.." my aunt glared at me "okay, well the art teacher didn't use those exact words, but I could tell she didn't think I had any talent..."
"just grab a chair, and we'll just see about that"
The next two days came and went in a blur. My aunt showed me how to squint my eyes and paint the blobs of color. She showed me how to paint the colors I actually saw, and not the ones I believed should be there. We sifted through postcards of the works of the old masters. I picked my favorites and copied them as best as I could. My grandmother fluttered in an out of the hallway, watching us work. When the sun went down, we packed up our paints and pastels, and washed the blue and peach colored markings off of our hands, arms and faces down the muddied up art room sink.
At the end of the second day, my aunt turned to me and said, "isn't it about time you get back to school? I think the roads are clear now." I could have stayed there forever. "Maybe I will just quit school and become an artist." I said, with a sly smile.
"Oh no you don't" my grandmother chimed in "your mother would never forgive me!"
I am reminded of my grandmother tonight.
Cold sesame soba noodles:
1 package of soba noodles (4 servings)
sauce:
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter (creamy, with no sugar added)
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 sprinkle cayenne
a few shakes ume plum vinegar (optional) or salt
1 tsp peeled, chopped fresh ginger
vegetables:
3 large carrots, peeled
1/4 purple cabbage, shredded
3 green onions, diced
1 tsp peeled, chopped ginger
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
sesame seeds
Whisk together the sauce ingredients and taste to adjust to your palate. Cook the noodles by simmering in boiling water for 6 min. Drain and rinse with cold water. While the noodles are draining, heat 1 tsp sesame oil in the pot and add the carrots, cabbage, ginger and a little salt. Cook for about 4 min. Add the sesame seeds and green onions, remove from the heat and add to the sauce. Pour the noodles in. Mix well and serve!
Vegetarian egg rolls:
Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/4 large green cabbage, shredded. Add 4 carrots, peeled and diced and 1 cup cubed tofu. Add 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger, 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp mirin. When the carrots are cooked (but still crunchy), turn off the heat and stir in 2 beaten eggs. Pour the mixture into a bowl and clean out the frying pan.
When the mixture has cooled, assemble the egg rolls (use egg roll wrappers from the grocery store. They have instructions inside with pictures that explain the rolling technique. You can also find instructional videos on you tube.)
Fry the egg rolls lightly in grape seed oil, then, right before you plan on eating them, place them in a 350 degree oven for 10 min. Alternatively, you can just brush them with oil and bake them for 25 min without frying them at all.
Serve with dipping sauce:
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
Christina's vote: "worthy of a man-sized bite"
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