Mushroom Meditation

And the Not so Secret Family Ingredient

The other week I found my impulsive purchase of mushrooms nearing the point of no return if I did not utilize them in a dish soon. I typically find myself in this “what can I make” situation when I do not adhere to the rule of only buying what is on my list after meal planning. My original intent for them long forgotten, I decided to make a Hungarian Mushroom Soup that I had made quite often from The Moosewood Cookbook. As our household size has decreased these last few years, the number of people who would actually enjoy this soup was down to one. However, I had plans to see my mushroom loving Dad and oldest daughter that evening so I would share it with them.

Because of my familiarity with the recipe, I only scanned it quickly just to make sure I had all of the ingredients. The simple ingredients for this soup were all items I normally have on hand, so I thought I was good to go. With this recipe the most time consuming part of it is the prepping of the mushrooms. However, I found the cleaning and slicing of two pounds of mushrooms therapeutic. The repetition allowed my hands to stay busy and my mind to focus on the task at hand, meditative almost. A brief moment in the day to tune out all the random thoughts, to center myself, and to be present in the moment. One of the many reasons I practice kitchen therapy.

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As the soup neared the end of cooking , I went to retrieve the final two ingredients from the refrigerator: milk and plain Greek yogurt (the recipe actually calls for sour cream but I use Greek yogurt instead). I had the milk, but unbeknownst to be we were out of Greek yogurt. In that moment, I started to get upset with myself for not doing true mise en place. What were my options now to add the tang to my soup? I had no desire to run to the store to grab an ingredient that I only needed a 1/2 of cup of for a recipe. The whole point of this soup was to use up items I had on hand, and I knew how a trip to the store for one item would end.

I paused and took a deep breath. Then, I did what my Mom taught me: I opened my refrigerator again to find something I could substitute to make it work. There, on the bottom shelf way in the back I spied a container of Galliker’s French Onion Dip, otherwise known to four generations of my family as “chip dip.” I am not sure how long this local company has been producing this dip, but for many years it has been the only chip dip purchased by my family.

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It was a staple at sleepovers at my maternal grandparents’ house with my siblings and cousins. After we got our baths and had our pajamas on, Grandma Ott would put out the chips and dip on the coffee table made by our grandfather. We kids would gather around the table and dip chip after chip until we had our fill. After we got older and the sleepovers ended, my grandma said she had to stop buying the chip dip so often because she found herself eating the whole container by herself anytime she was craving chips and dip.

This chip dip resided in my Mom’s refrigerator, too, and, like at my grandparents’ house we often only ate chips and dip at night while watching a TV show together. Not until I went away to college did I realize that people snacked on chips at other times during the day.

My kids have grown up with this chip dip, too. Like my Grandma and Mom, I stopped keeping it in my refrigerator at all times as my kids got older and started leaving the house. It shows up every now and again, especially when I know my oldest will be stopping by for a visit. One of the first things she does is open the refrigerator to look for it, so she can snack on some chips and dip.

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As I stirred in the chip dip feeling proud of my improvisation, I recalled how my Mom once reached for this chip dip when she found herself in a similar situation to mine. One day she was preparing Chicken Paprikash, a classic Hungarian dish that she made often, and I happened to be in the kitchen. When I saw her get the chip dip out of the refrigerator, I was confused and had to ask what she was doing to do with it. After all, we only opened that container for a nighttime family snack. She, too, had not realized she was out of sour cream to finish off her dish, and with four young children at home and no nearby grocery store there was no thinking of running out to pick up some. She explained to me that the chip dip was made with the ingredient she was lacking, plus it had some extra flavor.

When we sat down to eat, I was amazed by how her secret ingredient did not alter the taste of a dish that I loved so well. I shared her secret with my siblings, and they all asked for confirmation from my Mom. She confirmed my report. We thought she was brilliant for using our lowly snacking condiment in a delicious supper. From that day on we referred to the dish in our family as “Chip Dip Chicken.”

I had forgotten about the days of Chip Dip Chicken. She had made it for us many times in our adult years, but we no longer referred to it by our special name. I am grateful for little reminders that awaken long forgotten memories that take me back to those days when it was just the six of us: my parents, my two brothers, my sister, and me. Especially the six of us gathered at our kitchen table for supper each evening. All of us, eating together after being at school or work for the day. For one part of the day we were all together. Now, my brothers and my Mom are gone and our days of sharing meals around the table together are gone. However, I take comfort in the memories I have of them, and the family that now surrounds my Dad, my sister, and me helps us to continue the tradition of creating memories while gathering at the table.

Bless the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us.
Amen

My Chip Dip Mushroom Soup

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What’s been nourishing me this week…

1. Julia Cameron’s book The Artist's Way. I read this book two years ago and it helped me reclaim my creative spirit. After a rough year last year, I needed a reminder of the healing power of creativity.

2. The Duolingo app for learning Italian for a future trip. I had forgotten how much I enjoy learning a new language.

3. The Insight Timer app for meditation. I love the various types of meditations, teaching series, and the calming timers to use for my own mediation.

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