Before we met and married, my dear husband did like to cook for himself. His specialty was what he fondly termed “Bachelor Swill” — a chicken curry dish (please do not be offended, dear Indian readers — I myself am very picky about what people can call middle eastern food, so I know where you are coming from) that helped him put his Boston Irish Catholic cuisine/Harvard circa '69-'72 cafeteria past behind him.
I mean, we are talking such ethnic food served up by his accomplished and refined yet veggie-boiling, meat-broiling mother as “pizza” — split an English muffin… think you know where this is going?
Wrong.
Split an English muffin, put Campbell's tomato soup, a slice of American cheese, and corn on top. Of course, broil. In later years she had several tasty dishes up her sleeve, and she could make a mean blueberry cake, but in his youth the fare was limited.
In college, having the misfortune to attend before the monetization of higher education led to today's food courts (well, I mean gastronomic misfortune. Certainly not economic misfortune!), he had mystery meat casserole.
He and some buddies once hounded the cafeteria manager by incessantly and mischievously quizzing him on the size of a tuna. Finally the poor man exploded in frustration, “Look, guys, they come in cans! I don't know how many of them fit in a can!”
*Update*
Granted, it's a world-record tuna. Still… you can see why that story always cracks us up. Photo: http://spluch.blogspot.com/2007/08/world-record-tuna-caught.html |
**
Apparently at age 21 he was suddenly introduced to many foods that begin with the letter A — asparagus [he says now that he'd had asparagus before he was 21, whatever], artichokes, avocado — as well as garlic and onions. And thus began a journey that led to eating granola and, yes, Bachelor Swill.
Now, many wonderful husbands cook and indeed give terrific input in the kitchen. I'm all for it, but it didn't happen at our house, although I do have a really wonderful husband. I would say that a couple of circumstances, including my impatience, his laid-back nature, his mainly intellectual interests, and his extra-hard work keeping a large family afloat in difficult times, led to his gradual extinction from the kitchen.
However, the memory of Bachelor Swill lives on!
And when it happens that I'm away, or sick, or, as in the case of Tuesday, under the gun to get to the hospital to check on my mother, it rises like a yellow-tinted peanut-studded Phoenix from the ashes of the past!
Now what makes this an even more auspicious occasion is that Tuesday just happened to be the Chief's 60th birthday!
Yes, he made dinner for us on his big day!
But I think it was a gift to himself, truth to tell. He enjoyed himself mightily. And you know, it was the best Bachelor's Swill ever. Very tasty, if a little hotter than was absolutely comfortable (of course, although I love all spices, I find the bread at Indian restaurants too hot).
I find ethnic food in general a little hard to photograph, don't you? But really, it was delicious….
I'll see what I can do to get the recipe 😉
Rachel says
My dear husband (he's called “The Chief”, also!) makes a similar chicken curry dish. His doesn't have peanuts, though, and I really like that idea a lot…
Melanie B says
Funny. Even though he can cook quite well and does so frequently, my husband's favorite bachelor food was a one dish “Indian” curry recipe too. I think he ate it three or four days a week. He still makes it for us; but it has morphed a bit and now includes many, many more vegetables. I think the original incarnation was usually just chicken and onions in a sauce. Maybe the occasional carrot made an appearance. I got pretty tired of it pretty quickly after we were married; but I always know on those days I'm too tired to deal with dinner I can always chop up the vegetables and let him make his curry and he will be quite content. And so far one of our children is a big fan too. In fact, Sophie was pretending to make curry in the sink this morning.
Carrie says
Sounds good to me! And how sweet of him to whip it up for you on his birthday! Dads always have the most interesting concoctions.
And I completely understand about photographing ethnic food. I made Syrian Eggplant last night and thought about taking a picture for a friend, then thought again.
I'm so sorry to hear about your mother, hope she is on the road to recovery!
freckledhen says
It's very sweet that your husband prepares such an elegant looking meal and it's even sweeter that he wears an apron. Happy Birthday to Mister LMLD.
When my husband cooks I can hear the lazy susan full of spices spinning rapidly…can you say scrambled eggs with rosemary and cayenne pepper?
Hope things are improving for your mother…
That picture of the golden tree against the blue sky below is really stunning.
_Leila says
He was all like, “these aprons are very girly. Oh, here's one.”
Blondee says
How wonderful that he would cook on his birthday! Sorry you had to spend his special day at the hospital, but maybe you could celebrate his 'un' birthday one day soon and have a day together to celebrate him all over again.
The food makes my eyes burn just looking at it. No spices here! lol
Beth P says
Your dear husband looks delighted to be cooking what looks like a delicious meal! I would eat Indian or Thai food every day, if I could!
Elaine says
I have to admit that my husband makes the best possible family curries in this house. However, I make the hottest curries for the two adults here, when we allow ourselves that indulgence. (It is nice to give the children scrambled eggs and get them to bed early sometimes, you know?)
A couple of weeks ago, when my husband made a family curry with all of those leeetle bowls of accompaniments, in the best 1970's style, my 8 year old boy asked me to 'pass the decimal coconut'. Don't think we can ever call it anything else, now!
If in doubt, I cook, so: love to Habou. Will send her, and you, a virtual spicy pumpkin soup.
Elaine x
Sue says
Happy Birthday to your wonderful husband!!!
My husband is a wonderful cook – he was a bachelor for longer than most, after all (he was 38 when we married). His artistic flair really comes out, and every dish is one of a kind – he totally goes by taste, and it is always delicious. Unfortunately, we only get to taste it every once in a while, but it is so nice to know that when I'm under the weather I will at least be fed well!
I am continuing to pray for Habou – so glad to read that the surgery went well.
Christine says
This looks delicious! My mouth is watering just thinking how yummy it must be. Please do share the recipe!
Deirdre says
Yes, when I talked to him on the phone earlier that day, he really did sound excited to make his swill. I'm actually a little bummed because the last time I remember him making it was many years ago. Like, 13 years ago. (Maybe he's made it since then but I don't recall!) Those are great photos. 🙂
For the record, the financial shifts in higher education have by no means eliminated such problems as “mystery meat casserole” for most of us…
priest's wife says
it seems like the husbands around here like interesting food- mine will put leftovers over salad for dinner if he gets home late. he likes it that way (yuck)
margo says
I just love your stories! I'm going to start calling my husband's rare dishes “swill” too. His leans towards the Chinese style swill. And when I am leaving my family to fend for themselves for a meal or (gasp) a few days, he very much enjoys trying to find his mojo in the kitchen again. And weirdly enough, like your husband, he likes to wear an apron while doing it. I mean, I don't even wear aprons!
_Leila says
Now, Margo, let's remember that HE calls it “swill.”
I believe that our job is to call it “amazing.” 🙂
Deirdre says
Yes, when I talked to him on the phone earlier that day, he really did sound excited to make his swill. I'm actually a little bummed because the last time I remember him making it was many years ago. Like, 13 years ago. (Maybe he's made it since then but I don't recall!) Those are great photos. 🙂
(I also don't remember it being as delicious as it looks there!! 😉
Jill Farris says
Leila,
You really are a wonderful writer! I got such a guffaw out of the ” Boston Irish Catholic cuisine/Harvard circa '69-'72 cafeteria” description! I totally get it! My dad was a rural NW farm food/Yale circa 1950's “gourmet”! Bread and butter at every meal everyone?
So glad your mom came through her ordeal. May the Lord bless and keep her and make His light shine upon her and give her peace!
Jill F.
Rebekah says
That looks delicious, actually. And my husband loves curry too! Is that coconut I see? Mmm.
Nancy says
Always enjoy your funny, informative, descriptive “it rises like a tinted…”, writings!
Rosie says
“it rises like a yellow-tinted peanut-studded Phoenix from the ashes of the past!”
This made me laugh out loud. I remember him making Bachelor Swill for us when we were little and you were gone for whatever reason. I always loved it, but (unlike Auntie Leila, Sukie, Deirdre, and apparently now Bridget as well) I love hot food. (The other LMLD girls pretty much think that ketchup is too spicy.)
It looks great, though. I'm sorry I missed it.
The Chief says
With thanks to my lovely wife for her compliments about my once-a-decade foray into the kitchen– and a raised eyebrow toward the daughter who questions the appeal of my swill– I'd just like to set the record straight on a couple of things:
– I was familiar with asparagus before I turned 21. Avocado and artichokes were revelations, it's true. Also garlic. I'm still trying to make up for a garlic deficiency acquired in my formative years.
– I discovered granola long before leaving college. Granola, yogurt, and bean sprouts kept me alive when I could no longer choke down the Hockey Puck with Sordid Vegetables.
Elisa says
Looks good to me!! YUM! My husband never cooked for the first six years of our marriage. Then, out of desperation or something, while I was undoubtedly very pregnant, he cooked up the best homemade spaghetti sauce from scratch. Having revealed his little secret, I now encourage him to cook dinner. He is quite good at it and has a better instinct then I do, when it comes to adding spices and such. His specialties are still spaghetti sauce, really good hamburgers, fajitas, and eggs. Yum.
Four Gambel Girls says
I see so many posts about cute kids……it is refreshing for a husband to take the limelight!
Hannah says
Dad makes really good food, too. He does it whenever Mom is too tired or when my sister or I were going to cook but got too tired/busy/sick to do so. (This year, he even stood in when I had to finish Mom's birthday present. He prepared sermons and cooked at the same time and nobody got poisoned.) His parents made sure he knew everything he would need to so he could survive through college (cooking mostly, but he's a pretty good sewer and just learned how to knit). I like it when guys can cook more than boxed and canned food. 😛 It makes it easier on us girls. Haha.