I have discovered a new thing about myself. I have learned that cooking for lots of people is just like organizing an event, or a Wednesday night program or a trip with a group of women. It takes details, it takes a good plan that is flexible to adapt to change. It takes a firm smile, gentle direction and a confident attitude so people believe you know what you are talking about. A great sense of humor will not hurt either.
Through a series of events, which are pointless, I was forced to cook a meal for about 200 hundred people over two nights for our church Christmas dinner. This is not my gift. This is certainly not my interest and it really is not my job. It is my job to see that it is done and it was too late to get someone else to do it, so I did.
I did this the only way I know how. I asked for help, I begged for help really. I got help in choosing a menu. Many people voted on what we should cook and finally we agreed to a couple of recipes. Then I carefully made my list of groceries I would need, bought then, brought them in and put them away. Organization. I like it!
Then the cooking began. Much of this I enjoyed too. More help was rounded up, my friend rode in with recipes in hand. I followed direction, assembled, melted, stirred and at the end of the day I had this sense of control and clarity and purpose. It was good. I felt good. Life was good! Next day, more help, more directions, more good feelings. Whew, we are going to make it work. Off to lunch, rest, buy more supplies and back again. Only when I get back something has gone astray. Yes, what should be cooked is not. What should be coming out is staying put and what should be going in cannot. Oh dear, oh me oh my. I am in a cold panic and I cannot think what to do. In to the rescue rides another source of help, a lady from the church who caters for a living. I don't know exactly what she did, but she took a boat that had clearly hit an iceberg and was slowly sinking, healed us up and got us into shore.
Don't you think for even a moment I wasn't taking notes and giving thanks. By the end of the evening, the food was good, the kitchen was clean and all was well with the world. Except for the huge cloud that was following me around saying, you have to do it again tomorrow, you have to do it again tomorrow...But I had learned my lesson. I planned my game with care and started two hours earlier than anyone told me to start. I gave myself all kinds of wiggle room. I got great help again, I got things organized so they made sense to me and we stayed on time and with no skirmishes and panic attacks. The food got out, people ate again and the kitchen was cleaned one more time. I heard no complaints about food. It was all consumed and I was done! Hurray!
I do not think this is my gift. I do not like it much, it stresses me to no end. But organization, direction, game plan, this I love. Cooking is this. It's a form of art for some people. I am not an artist, but I can take ingredients and organize them into something that tastes fairly good. Even when I am not sure why. Knowing what you need and how long you need and what things go well together is probably an ingrained gift for some. Not me. But give me the stuff I need to get, the time to get it done and a wise person to show me a time or two what to do and I can do it. I am not sure cleaning is ever going to be my talent, but let's be honest. I can live without it, you know what I mean?
Stepping out of my comfort zone and into the mysterious world of Martha Stewart, where my confidence level is subzero and my ability not much more, was a stretching experience. It wasn't my first choice, but I know how to do it now. I know exactly what you do, you call and find a caterer. And you show up early to lend a helping hands with the cooking, someone else purchases all the supplies. At the appointed hour you go sit down, food appears and you can enjoy it. If you have to do more than this, I think you need to do exactly what I was taught to do. Start early and pray without ceasing.
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