The oven sits out back. It calls to us, telling tales of cooking adventures possible and past. We engage in its temptations whenever possible. Sometimes it’s easy and joyous, surrounded by friends and temperate weather conditions, casting its warm glow long into the night. Often however, the circumstances are less ideal and yet still we light and tend and tend and cook. Recently we found ourselves in the latter situation. Our home was filled with visitors, eager to experience some oven delights. But it was late spring and it was raining. Still I lit the oven with the remnants of the year’s wood supply and cooked some pizzas.
My sweet boy, Ollie arranged some boards to keep my feet out of the muddy quagmire in front of the oven. Trucking the prepared pizzas from our kitchen, slipping and sloshing through the backyard to the oven and then back inside with the finished product- in and out, back and forth. And it’s worth it! The food is delicious, the tone is joyous and the oohs and aahs are pretty nice too. After all, we can’t be a fair weather friend. There’s amazing food to be had in all kinds of weather!
Two grandfathers and an Ollie at our dining room table.
(Enjoying breakfast sandwiches not made in our oven.)
