Last week, like I do every two weeks or so, I called my grandparents. I know they can see my number and my name popping up on their landline phone and every time they answer, the first thing I hear is 'Yolene!!' and happy cheers. They are always both on the phone with the loudspeaker on so it is like a mini conversation between the three of us, me in Ireland and them in France. Last week was a special occasion because my Mamy (that's what I call my grandmother, my granddad is Papy) turned 88 years young! She made me laugh when she realised she was 88 and not 87, because until now she could reverse the numbers and tell people she was 78. But 88... well it just doesn't work!
I usually call in the evening when they have just had dinner in France and we are about to have ours here in Ireland. So there is a little ritual: my Papy always wants to know what we are about to eat and tells me what they had.
I usually call in the evening when they have just had dinner in France and we are about to have ours here in Ireland. So there is a little ritual: my Papy always wants to know what we are about to eat and tells me what they had.
Lately, my Mamy has been struggling with things a bit (memory and health). So my Papy decided to take over cooking for her (since she has done so for him almost all of their life together). He is learning more and more recipes and tells me about his latest experiments: cooking their own bread in the bread machine (they have actually done so for many years and I love listening to him describing what flours he tries and changes he is making with oil or not), getting tips from the fishmonger on how to cook squid with tomatoes, garlic and parsley, etc.
A lot of my food memories come from spending time at their house as a child so I really cherish those moments spent on the phone with him chatting about food. Food and tea!
Lately, he has really been getting into tea: regular tea, green tea, loose tea leaves of different kinds.
I have always known my granddad to be more of a coffee drinker (and one little glass of red wine per day).
We were at my cousin's wedding recently and her favours were little boxes of loose tea leaves (a different type/theme per table). My Papy was really amazed by it but did not know how to use it so my mum gave him a tea ball and showed him how to make tea this way.
Until now, I was used to have to drink kids apple juice (yes, the one in mini cartons with a straw..) while everybody else was drinking coffee at their house. The reason being that the only other hot beverage available was some infusion to sleep well at night. I don't drink coffee and I don't mind infusions but maybe not in the middle of the day.
The next time I visit them, I know I'll get to share a tea pot with my Papy. It will probably be green tea or maybe some of the wonderful tea my cousin brought them back from Sri Lanka.
We can sip our tea and chat about food recipes and tips (his latest food tip is about his mid morning snack consisting of a glass of pomegranate juice and four almonds, 'ce sont de bons antioxydants!' - I may as well take tips from someone who is nearly 88!).
I look forward to that cup of tea!
A lot of my food memories come from spending time at their house as a child so I really cherish those moments spent on the phone with him chatting about food. Food and tea!
Lately, he has really been getting into tea: regular tea, green tea, loose tea leaves of different kinds.
I have always known my granddad to be more of a coffee drinker (and one little glass of red wine per day).
We were at my cousin's wedding recently and her favours were little boxes of loose tea leaves (a different type/theme per table). My Papy was really amazed by it but did not know how to use it so my mum gave him a tea ball and showed him how to make tea this way.
Until now, I was used to have to drink kids apple juice (yes, the one in mini cartons with a straw..) while everybody else was drinking coffee at their house. The reason being that the only other hot beverage available was some infusion to sleep well at night. I don't drink coffee and I don't mind infusions but maybe not in the middle of the day.
The next time I visit them, I know I'll get to share a tea pot with my Papy. It will probably be green tea or maybe some of the wonderful tea my cousin brought them back from Sri Lanka.
We can sip our tea and chat about food recipes and tips (his latest food tip is about his mid morning snack consisting of a glass of pomegranate juice and four almonds, 'ce sont de bons antioxydants!' - I may as well take tips from someone who is nearly 88!).
I look forward to that cup of tea!
 |  |
