Years ago I worked in the flight kitchen for United Airline. The main job of our brigade of cooks and chefs was to prepare the meals for first class, business, and transatlantic coach, but as in any food service place, someone had to cook for the staff. In restaurants they often call it family meal, but we just called it lunch, no matter what shift you were on.
It was a privilege to have lunch on your job list-- everyone else was cooking prescribed recipes for thousands of anonymous travelers, but those 2 cooks had the freedom to put their own stamp on food that their friends and colleagues would be eating. Because of my seniority, I did not get to cook lunch very often, but when I did I like to think I stepped up.
I remember one day when the chef told us they had over-ordered frozen beans. "Make them for lunch," he told our lead, Jimmy, as I listened.
"I know just what to do," I said, and a few pounds of bacon, onions, garlic, and tomatoes later, we had a steam kettle full of southern-style green beans.
That day at lunch, I basked in the compliments of my co-workers. "Those beans!" one ramp guy told me. "Mm Mm! Salty, smoky, tomatoey? You really put the flavor to it!" That was one of the best compliments I ever received as a professional cook.
I thought of that guy today when Heidi said, "Tracey?" as she was unpacking her lunch bag. "I only want to eat frittata for lunch from now on."
"Oh you liked that, did you?" I laughed.
The frittata was really only the result of too many eggs. I love the farm fresh eggs we can get in our CSA-- I honestly believe I can taste the difference-- but a dozen a week can be too many for a couple of middle-aged ladies. Fortunately they are very fresh and the keep exceptionally well, but over the weekend I decided to make a mushroom and spinach frittata that we could warm up for breakfast or lunch.
And that's what my wife was raving about. With no leftovers from last night's dinner, she had frittata for lunch.
"It was mushroomy, vegetably, salty, and proteiny, right?" I boasted. "I guess I really put the flavor to it!"
It was a privilege to have lunch on your job list-- everyone else was cooking prescribed recipes for thousands of anonymous travelers, but those 2 cooks had the freedom to put their own stamp on food that their friends and colleagues would be eating. Because of my seniority, I did not get to cook lunch very often, but when I did I like to think I stepped up.
I remember one day when the chef told us they had over-ordered frozen beans. "Make them for lunch," he told our lead, Jimmy, as I listened.
"I know just what to do," I said, and a few pounds of bacon, onions, garlic, and tomatoes later, we had a steam kettle full of southern-style green beans.
That day at lunch, I basked in the compliments of my co-workers. "Those beans!" one ramp guy told me. "Mm Mm! Salty, smoky, tomatoey? You really put the flavor to it!" That was one of the best compliments I ever received as a professional cook.
I thought of that guy today when Heidi said, "Tracey?" as she was unpacking her lunch bag. "I only want to eat frittata for lunch from now on."
"Oh you liked that, did you?" I laughed.
The frittata was really only the result of too many eggs. I love the farm fresh eggs we can get in our CSA-- I honestly believe I can taste the difference-- but a dozen a week can be too many for a couple of middle-aged ladies. Fortunately they are very fresh and the keep exceptionally well, but over the weekend I decided to make a mushroom and spinach frittata that we could warm up for breakfast or lunch.
And that's what my wife was raving about. With no leftovers from last night's dinner, she had frittata for lunch.
"It was mushroomy, vegetably, salty, and proteiny, right?" I boasted. "I guess I really put the flavor to it!"
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