Mother's Day food for thought - what woman learned about health and cooking from her mother - Editorial

Vegetarian Times, May, 2003 by Laurel Lund

One of my first memories of cuisine is at the age of two when, Lilliputian-sized and dressed in a corduroy jumper and tiny T-shirt covered with an even tinier white apron, I stood on a little footstool in my mother's kitchen, helping her stir up a gooey batch of cookies. I loved being with my mom, and copying her in the kitchen was just a start. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

She was beautiful, she was great fun and she was a wonderful cook--just like her mother and her grandmothers before her. But having grown up in the Depression years, Doris Hibbs was not content with the narrow limitations imposed on women of her time. She wanted to be a professional, so she chose to become a registered dietitian. With her love of food and her talent for science, she succeeded admirably. During my teen years, she taught cooking classes. She hosted her own radio program, "Household Hints"--a sort of "Hints from Heloise." And she was a frequent guest on a local "lifestyles" TV show, during which she introduced Midwestern TV audiences to the first microwave oven and taught them, with an Italian chef, how to make pizza, when pizza was considered an exotic dish.

As a dietician, Mother knew about the science of food, but she turned that science into an art. She knew that choosing food for its color guarantees a healthful diet a fact that only recently has been recognized. But she also had strong feelings about the presentation of food--its color, shape and texture. In fact, she was Martha Stewart before her time. For simple family dinners, she would serve Coquilles St. Jacques in dramatic scallop shells or, chef-like, decorate the dinner plates with scribblings of gourmet sauces and unique garnishes, believing that one should always "create a pretty picture on a plate." (What a great food stylist she would be for VT!)

Under my mother's tutelage, I, too, learned the art and science of food. All of this has served me well when entertaining or simply creating new dishes from scratch. But most of all, it has served me well in my editorial responsibilities at VT.

I wanted to be just like Mom when I grew up. I am grown now, and we are alike in many wonderful ways. But each of us is definitely our own person---except when it comes to the good life that only begins with good food!

LET'S DISH

I'd love for you to share with us the most unusual place you've ever found an issue of VT--whether it's a country, a room or the kitchen sink! The sky's the limit! We'll publish the most creative correspondence in an upcoming issue. Email me at llund@sabot.net.

Laurel Lund
Editorial Director