Let me premise it by saying that M doesn't really enjoy baked chicken for dinner. It's not that he doesn't like chicken, but more that it isn't a juicy steak. I like making it, though, because it's a meal I can do without any help from him, I can start it in the late afternoon so it will be ready by the time he gets home from the office, and the recipe I use is very easy, resulting in tender, juicy chicken every time. What's also great about it is that I can use the leftover chicken for a pasta salad or quesadillas the next evening and make a broth out of the carcas. But to M it's still "just chicken".
 |
| source |
While I was teaching the DaF class for the past few months, I wasn't home in the afternoons and therefore couldn't make any roasts or meals that required lots of prep. When he playfully grumbled about the time I was taking in the evenings planning lessons and writing worksheets, I'd usually say, "Well, look on the bright side - at least you don't have to eat chicken!"
Now the class is finished, and I'm back to planning meals like I have for the past 3 years. Last week one of those meals was baked chicken, potatoes, and glazed carrots. M crinkled up his nose and I said, "Bet you wish I were still teaching, don't you?"
After the meal he very genuinely thanked me for cooking, and added:
"Since we haven't had chicken in so long, it wasn't even....."
He let the rest of his Swabian compliment disintegrate into the wind with a sheepish grin, but his meaning was clear. To be honest, I hadn't expected such high praise!
He accepts that I will bake a chicken for dinner every now and then, and I accept that he doesn't love it like many of the other meals we make. Since Spargelsaison opens tomorrow, we're about to spoil ourselves royally, and there won't be another chicken on our table for quite a while.
Bring on the Spargel!!
Give me a roast chicken instead of Spargel anyday! I would love to see your chicken recipe.
ReplyDeleteHere it is! I wrote about it last year.
Deletehttp://bhejl.blogspot.de/2015/08/one-chicken-three-meals.html
Spargel day is every day!! Someday I'll be in Germany for Spargel season
ReplyDeleteGreen Spargel, sure. But the white Spargel is restricted to its season. I do hope you're here sometime during the season. We'll be happy to cook it for you! :-)
DeleteMmm, roast chicken!! I rarely make it but I do love it. Jan prefers chicken breast because he doesn't have to figure out what to do with the bones.
ReplyDeleteI can relate, but I like the dark meat better. We put the bones in a bag in the freezer until garbage day, then they go in the Restmüll.
DeleteMy friend from Siegen says that a Northern compliment is "Es war essbar." There is no worry about them overusing superlatives! He had a Chinese girlfriend once who spoke more of American English. He told her that the dinner she cooked him was "fine," which is, to him, the British version that means that he liked it and not that it was just average. She did not take the compliment well and didn't believe him when he tried to explain. Poor guy! hehe
ReplyDelete