Anyone Can Cook

Good Friday is a day of fasting.  As soon as I woke up,  I headed to the kitchen and thought of cooking some no meat dishes for the family and visiting relatives.  Of the limited dishes that I know how to cook, I opted to make some mushroom bruschetta for a change.  Since my aunt just bought some fresh clams from the market, I had no other option but to cook spaghetti vongole instead of my sister's favorite spaghetti funghi porcini.

I totally forgot that there are more relatives arriving from Manila that day.  An aunt came and she's one of those that you'd dread  to cross path with, simply because she has the loudest voice and has the knack to criticize about anything and everything, she's so hard to please.  She found the mushroom bruschetta, beautifully placed on the dining table's lazy susan and started questioning... what ingredients I used, why it's too dark, how I prepared it, blah blah blah and I answered each question cautiously.  After a while, she sat down and took a bite and said, ah "this is good and healthy!"  That remark was such a sigh of relief.  It is very rare of her to give praises.  And to return the favor, I offered to give her some dried mushrooms to bring home to Manila and she expectedly accepted it.

Next thing I know, she was beside me trying to reach the wok while I started cooking the spaghetti vongole.  She asked too many questions again, maybe found interest in my cooking.  It's the first time for her to see me cook.  Considering it's italian cuisine, I feel so vindicated when she liked it.

Whew,  I felt jittery for a moment, I could possibly get the worse comment today but thankfully it was all praises.  I needed that to get some boost, I am more confident to serve some real food.  Anyone can cook, right?