Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mama's Banana Pudding

My mother was a "closet" cook. You'd never tell by her projected intellect that she loved cooking shows on TV and making new foods. But even making the old stand by recipes gave her much pleasure. As I was thinking of Mother's Day today, I remembered her last.

As a family we'd decided on a family get together, and she would never miss an opportunity to make something to bring. That last year she decided on banana pudding. She assembled it a Patty's house, making what seemed to be an enormous vat of warm pudding. As she began to line a big bowl with vanilla wafers and sliced bananas, it became clear that one big crystal bowl was not enough. She started a second bowl of banana pudding preparation, layer after layer of cookies, banana slices, and thick, warm pudding. It seemed the banana pudding began breathing and took on a life of it's own...finally spreading to three big bowls before the process was complete. We laughed and laughed with her as she did this, joking about "the banana pudding that took over the world", and praised her efforts to beat the pudding into submission. "Save us from the creeping pudding!" I had never seen so much banana pudding in my life, too much for the fourteen or so people it was to feed.

I do not remember if we made a dent in that banana pudding at the actual meal that day, but I do remember eating it for a good week before it was gone. On this mother's day what I wouldn't give for a bowl of it! So happy Mother's Day to all those mothers out there in the world. It goes too quickly so enjoy them while you have them. And to my Mama a special memory just for you. I miss you, and even that creeping pudding too. :)

1 comment:

Dying Diety said...

Why don't I like Banana pudding anymore? My mother made it three times a year and I couldn't get enough. Is that what happened? Did I get enough without knowing? Your mom sounds like mine, one of the women who made the world the special place that it is. Cheers moms.