Thursday, February 12, 2009

cooking together


Me and the gang had a conversation at Everest Kitchen last week.

Me: "I think it's quite sweet if the wife cook for the husband next time." (All the girls around me nodded in agreement.)

Kie: "What if the food is not nice?"

Mr.Josh: "I will still eat it up." (Immediately score many points with the girls!)

Mr.AG: "Or, I will suggest that we can cook together the next round." (So sweet!! Awww...)

Kie: "There are other things we can do together besides cooking."

Ms. S:"Like...?"

Kie answered innocently (?) that one of the things he and the wife can do together next time is sleep together, much to the consernation of the group, bringing us to a state of uproarious and uncontrollable laughter. 

-_-

My trip to the Serangoon Gardens wet market on that morning provoked this conversation. (Kie's parents was there too, not that I was shopping with them.) Mom asked me to buy delicieux yong tau foo and fishballs with the meat in the middle, yum. So I did, and I thought to myself that in future, I will relish the chance of going to wet markets with my MIL and learning how to cook dishes from her. I think it's nice if I can learn from the MIL the favorite dishes of her son (my husband) and replicate them for him! 

I've grown up watching my parents  cook together on weekends - my dad does the wet market shopping and cooks, and Mom chops and slices... and prepares the dips and condiments. Thinking ahead, if I had a chance to learn cooking from my MIL, I'd definitely relish the opportunity. I've always thought that I am quite creative and artistic so I'm sure I can excel in this area, too! Being a Hainanese my tastebuds are quite defined as well...although I have no qualms about eating fast food way too often.

Last week, after praying to God in this area, I realised that it's important, for me, to have me, and him, share 'the same narratives'. I do enjoy doing things together, for me, the joy is in having shared experiences. He doesn't have to come from the same culture, but there needs to be shared ideals in wanting to experience some parts of life, together. Having shared narratives, I believe, bonds the relationship and gives memories of a lifetime.

My ex-colleague, Huntley shared that he wanted to bake a cake for his wife this Valentines'. Self-confessing that he is the ultimate 'cannot cook, never cook' kind of guy, he wanted to bowl her over with this idea. Having baked before, I warned him about the rigors of baking, and although this was a sweet idea, it probably wouldn't succeed on the first try for a non-cooking kind of guy. He has no idea... ... ... I think when we are reminded about what we need to do to cherish love, many guys will go out of the way to show it. 

Sometimes, love doesn't mean that we have to talk to the person everyday, or expect this and that from the person. Sometimes, knowing the person enough, and showing in little ways, how much you care, should be all it takes to cherish love. There's someone I can't get out of my mind, and although I am not so hopeful...I care about him more than I'd like to admit. For girls, we have a 'need to know' about certain things before we even dare to care for someone. Like, firstly... does he have anyone in mind, what does he think about me. We are fearful that 'he's just not that into you', sorry, but no thanks, kinda statements. So we worry, we find out from friends, we try to observe more. But for this fella, I already know more than I should. So how now, brown cow? I guess in the end, all that matters is a happy ending. Will the prince, MY HERO, and me, ride off into the sunset? And live, full of love, happily ever after.