Friday February 26,2021

Good morning everyone, today is Friday February 26, 2021. Yes it is the beginning of the weekend, we have gotten through another week , thank god. I hope everyone is up to snuff this morning, a little colder than yesterday but it still promises to be a beautiful day. Sunshine for some reason just makes everything seem better. My mother in law used to say yes the sun is shinning and it is beautiful out but don’t be fooled it is still cold out so dress warmly. I call these days Emily days. So I will pass her advice on today remember if you go out dress warmly. It is not spring yet, a long way to go. Today, I am back to my old self some days we all need a little self pity. It helps us to be stronger and accept the life we are given.
As you know during this time I have taught my self to cook and now I think I’m not so bad at it, because I enjoy doing it, and I am beginning to create my own dishes. I did not do this alone , when I set out on this adventure I thought you need a teacher so I chose two famous chefs one the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten and the famous Italian chef Lidia Bastiianich, Lidia I knew cooked the way I wanted to Italian because I have been going to her restaurants in New York for many years especially Becco on 46th street. I have enjoyed it there over the years with many people and have had parties there and the food is always excellent. I don’t know why, maybe it is my magnetic personality but I always meet the right people wherever I go. I gift I guess ha ha. But I did befriend the matre d and we became friendly over the years so when I wanted or needed something I would just call him, however, I also believe you don’t take advantage of a gift like that, be thankful. So I armed myself with lidia’s cookbooks and set out to cook, her books give more than recipes they also give technique and I learned. She always talkes about her immigrant background and you know how that draws me in like a honey bee. How she began in nyc. She also talks about her mother and what she learned from her and how she would not be the success she is if it wasn’t for her. It seems like I know the whole family by now. A few weeks actually ago was Erminia, her mothers 100 birthday. On the website like hundreds of others I wished her a happy birthday. Sadly, she passed away last week and Lidia wrote a beautiful message on line to all her fan announcing her death. I again like hundreds of fans sent my condolences, I don’t know why I just felt bad after reading so much about her. The other day I found an older cookbook of hers and the dedication was to her mother. At the time she was in her early nineties but it was a beautiful tribute, it also included a speech written by her great grandson. It is long so I will mention just a few lines “experience is the teacher of life” “ she is the fundamental force that drives me to excel and enjoy life” “ her story is a story of perseverance, appreciation and imparting knowledge “ the knowledge passed down to me by Nonna is invaluable” when I read this tribute I felt like I could have written for my grandmother as you know she was a major force in my life then and even now after almost 50 years without her.
I think I said a lot today and I don’t want to bore you too much but again I found a beautiful poem “ broken chain “ I have posted it on reflections of a life. I felt it was just about the way we all feel at a certain time in our life.
Now get out and enjoy the sun get some vitamin d you are probably deficient in it anyway,we all are have fun . Til Tomorrow! Enjoy the Emily Day