By Robin Purdey.
Seafood starters
retro prawn cocktails
in halves of avocado
pink seafood cocktail sauce.
Roast turkey and cranberry sauce
ham diamonds studded with cloves
gravy and stuffing
and golden, crunchy potatoes.
Plum pudding
simmering in its faithful string-tied calico
on the stove for hours
boozy sauce – a ‘Delicious’ favourite
and red fruit salad
watermelon, berries and cherries
and trifle.
Traditional
that’s what we are,
what we were,
until our new Chinese family
cooked the goose
Cantonese style.
Skin-tightening dip
basted and balmed
inside and out
ginger and garlic
soy sauce, five spice, rice wine
zest of orange, spring onions, cardamon,
many hands to help
giggles add flavor.
No fast food solution here.
A goose nursery rhyme
part of a Chinese childhood:
‘Goose, goose, goose,
You bend your neck toward the sky and sing.
Your white feathers float on the emerald water,
Your red feet push the clear waves.’
'Ode to the Goose' by Chinese poet Luo Binwang (AD 619–684)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robin trained as a dietitian and her working life in a variety of ways revolved around cooking, food and nutrition. On retirement she completed a certificate in professional writing and continues this hobby with U3A writing and poetry groups. Her son, an ICU nurse, married a Chinese nurse from Guangzhou. They have two beautiful teenage children and all enjoy cooking.
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