Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

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Being Carried Away on Cream Sauce

Colored engraving Two women

Touching the flower petals attached to her dress, matching the wreath her husband had made for her, she looked her friend straight in the eye and said, "He cooks."

"No, he doesn't; he boils water, cooks plain pasta with butter, and in all honesty, mighty fine rice. But cook? No way." Her friend retorted with a sly smirk.

"Oh, but he does." She said while nodding her head.

 

 

Engraving romantic love

 

She continued, "The other day, as I was dressing in front of him trying to do it with some sex appeal, hard to do with a cast, I must add, but I gave it my best shot, I cooed, "What's for lunch Cherie FM?"

He sat down and sighed, "Pasta?"

Smiling meekly, I reminded him that the doctor said, "A protein and calcium-rich diet for healing those bones… remember?"

"Doesn't butter on the pasta count for anything?" He grumbled.

I kissed his cheek and said, "No."

 

 

Oil painting woman reading book

He went to the kitchen.

As I read my book, I heard cupboards opening, jars clacking, and mumbling sounds such as, "Where are the herbs? Where is the olive oil? Where is the pan, where is …." I leaned back, closed my eyes uttered a prayer, though I wanted to yell, "Right in front of you." But what good would that have done?

 

 

 

Sacred heart engraving

 

"Don't tell me a miracle occurred in the kitchen, don't tell me that!" Her friend nudged her, then asked if she could serve herself a glass of wine since her friend couldn't open the wine bottle.

"A miracle indeed."

"What did he cook? Let me be the judge of the miracle." Her friend laughed.

"Wild rice with grilled artichokes for lunch. Sauteed scallops in a cream-grilled onion sauce with roasted potatoes for dinner. Baked salmon with ravioli the next day…"

But before she could finish her report, her friend exclaimed, "I'll be damn, the man has been living undercover!"

 

 

My hero

 

Bowing her head, she added, "I suppose I have done it all thinking he couldn't do it, or that he didn't want to do it… or that he could manage the bank account and I could manage the kitchen." she went on to say, "Maybe I have been controlling the kitchen not allowing his true culinary talents to come forth."

But her friend slugged her, waking her a bit, "Okay, so he is cooking, cause you will both starve, eat sandwiches, or at least have to drive thirty minutes to eat out… let's not get carried away."

But she was…. being carried away, and it felt soooooooooooooooo good.

 

Comments

30 responses to “Being Carried Away on Cream Sauce”

  1. herhimnbryn

    It always does (feel good) doesn’t it. I shall have remind my Alchemist that he is a good cook!

    Reply
  2. Zosia

    The hidden talents of Monsieur FH. It’s good for a relationship to discover something new about each other after so many years – keeps it interesting :-). All those dishes sound so good and I am hungry. Time to have lunch!

    Reply
  3. Merisi

    S if some little arctic flower,
    Upon the polar hem,
    Went wandering down the latitudes,
    Until it puzzled came
    To continents of summer,
    To firmaments of sun,
    To strange, bright crowds of flowers,
    And birds of foreign tongue!
    I say, as if this little flower
    To Eden wandered in–
    What then? Why, nothing, only
    Your inference therefrom!
    (Emily Dickinson)
    Could not help but think of FH
    wandering down the latitudes …
    to your Kitchen Empire … 😉

    Reply
  4. m

    “As if some little arctic flower … ”
    Sorry!

    Reply
  5. Kiki

    :)))))) LOL…..
    Made me think of an ex who – during a very, very long marriage never ever found it necessary to praise his darling wife for her exquisite cooking.
    Said wife encouraged him many times to join a ‘private’ cookery class for men, all of which were his friends from another group. He never felt like learning to cook…. He was also known as uttering repeatedly the following words of wisdom when his wife invited people to their table (which was often the case): Thanks goodness, that will bring a hot meal on the table…. Oh yes, everybody laughed, always, because everybody knew that said wife made a very good meal of nearly everything!!! 🙂
    When wife divorced ex, the first thing man did, was joining his gang of friends in the cookery class; he so missed his ex’s miserable meals….
    She smiled ever after – and not only for that reason!
    Corey; would FH cook his scallops AND the roasted artichokes for me if I were to visit….?! My Hero Husband manages after a long marriage to switch the espresso machine on and knows how to open the fridge. Oh they learn swiftly, it just takes a long time to explain things, our men :))))
    HH DOES praise his darling wife at EVERY MEAL and tells her how very wonderful she cooks (and it shows on the expanding waistline – which waist exactly??? – but if overweight is linked to utter happiness, does it still shorten one’s life?! And do we care???….)
    Bon appétit et Santé – I shall drink a glass of very good red to your health and to your FH’s good cooking tonight, if that’s alright!

    Reply
  6. Alan

    It’s great to have a husband who is a good cook. I tell mine every day how good the meals he cooks for me are.

    Reply
  7. Karen@PasGrand-Chose

    This made me laugh out loud and has made my day! Your images so perfectly illustrating your story! Hidden talents indeed, your cherie FM has – now there will be no excuse in future for him not to cook …

    Reply
  8. Gail

    Corey,
    Your post are always delightful…this one is hilarious. I love, love your sense of humor.
    xoxo

    Reply
  9. Paulita

    Ahh. I love the little scenarios and photos you included. When I had knee surgery and couldn’t get out of bed, my husband took the children away for six hours to give me a break. Of course, I could get any food or drinks.. Well, your cooking husband sounds like a dream.

    Reply
  10. Irina

    Oh I love this post!!!!!!!!!! can relate to it too, it sounds so familiar ‘where is … ?’ Now I should think of an idea how to get him to cook for me too!

    Reply
  11. Brenda L. from TN.

    I love your musings!
    You are so very lucky to have such a good man to cook for you in your time of need! But! Does he “clean up” after himself? If he does then he a true “keeper”.
    But if you ask him who is the luckier of you two? We ALL know what he’d say!! HE is the lucky one here!!

    Reply
  12. kim

    Well, FH is a man of many talents, no? How lovely to be fed good, nutritious food and to be forced to stay out of the kitchen.
    Enjoy.

    Reply
  13. Kathie B

    “Right in front of you.”
    Some of us, despite acute vision, have a capacity to look right past something in plain sight. In fact, when I scan the fridge or a shelf seemingly in vain, one of Farmboy Husband’s favorite laments along these lines is, “If it were a snake, it woulda bit ya by now!”
    Oh, and can you imagine how much pleasure I derive from when the opportunity arises to use this expression on Farmboy? :-)))

    Reply
  14. Marilyn

    What a lovely discovery! He cooks! Sounds good too.

    Reply
  15. g

    i like this story…and can relate in more ways than i care to admit…with a set of different circumstances…to quote the grateful dead..”…sometimes we get shown the light in the strangest of places , if we lok at it right…”

    Reply
  16. Kathie B

    LOL!
    Corey, you DO realize that Yann never starves to death when you’re away, don’t you? Presumably he doesn’t just subsist on take-out, dinner parties and restaurant dining in your absence. Also, didn’t he have to cook for himself before he ever met you?

    Reply
  17. Amy Kortuem

    FUNNY! I remember coming off a metabolic cleanse a few months ago (ugh) and being so worried about my food combinations (I’m a vegetarian, too) and I asked my Mom is pasta and butter made a complete protein.
    She said no. Not unless I added CHEESE!!!!!!

    Reply
  18. Amy Kortuem

    FUNNY! I remember coming off a metabolic cleanse a few months ago (ugh) and being so worried about my food combinations (I’m a vegetarian, too) and I asked my Mom is pasta and butter made a complete protein.
    She said no. Not unless I added CHEESE!!!!!! Oh, twist my arm.

    Reply
  19. ann

    Lucky you! Two years ago when I was too unwell to cook my husband took over – we ate salad for six weeks! Fortunately I slowly recovered. His sympathy amounted to six-packs of small chocolate bars which kept my energy levels up. I am drooling over the repetoire of FH’s cooking. What a gem he is.
    I thought it was only the males in my family who were unable to see things in front of their faces.
    Take good care of yourself and enjoy your forced rest.

    Reply
  20. JudyO

    My recently retired husband has taken over the dinner meal planning and cooking. After 38 years I was happy to pass the torch. Who knew he had a hidden talent? He is a very good and innovative chef and I am loving every meal!

    Reply
  21. deborah

    Ahh, Corey, you must write a book! So sorry about your wrist, but it is not hindering your stories!

    Reply
  22. Karen C

    As a Mum of 3 boys I decided the best gift I could give my future DIL’s would be men able to prepare a meal, as my father was a danger to himself in the kitchen.
    I have had mostly success (2 out of 3). One is quite confident and adventurous, the third son has simple tastes but can confidently prepare a meal. As for the middle son, well . . . he’s a good home handyman!
    Then I encouraged my husband to cook but I’m still not sure if I have done the right thing or created a monster. He has his own approach to dietary combinations (!!), but feels he has ownership of the kitchen and is constantly watching, adjusting, re-seasoning and ‘improving’ my efforts.
    One of his best friends is an excellent cook and I think my husband tries to impress him – he’s got a long way to go, though.
    I am quite happy for him to cook and I know he will never starve if left on his own, but I simply can’t abide having him anywhere near the kitchen when I’m cooking.

    Reply
  23. Karen C

    Dear Ann,
    This is in fact a little known or talked about medical condition known as ‘Domestic Blindness’ (or DB as we call it).
    It is gene carried by men and passed on to all male offspring. My family have been battling it for years, trying to raise awareness and research funds. We are currently working on an iphone ‘app’, if only they could find their phones.
    Please support this worthy cause and help sufferers overcome their humiliating female dependency to eventually lead normal functioning lives where everything from the can opener to the stock pot can be clearly identified at a glance.

    Reply
  24. Penny

    Out of every crisis comes an opportunity. I think it was Confucius who said that. ’tis true.

    Reply
  25. Tongue in Cheek

    Hi KB
    Little do you know.
    He did starve.
    Ate out.
    Friends brought food.
    Ate a ton of pasta with butter.
    No he didn’t starve… but he didn’t cook either.
    I tell you he has turned a new leaf and it is not lettuce.
    🙂

    Reply
  26. Julie Ann

    No-one would ever doubt that Yann would come good I think. He is just clever by letting you think he can’t do it all these years. Seems men can be devious too. Naughty imp ! Bon appetit xx

    Reply
  27. Diane

    ooooh lala

    Reply
  28. Victoria Ramos

    Ahh…he cooks!…..but did he buy a new (and very sturdy) ladder!
    I decided your accident was FH fault – because his ladder was faulty, which is why he has learned to cook out of guilt……just kidding! I am sure he is just glad that you are okay and that your injuries could of been much worse….
    Take care and enjoy all the TLC! And maybe stay off of ladders from here on in.

    Reply
  29. Jane Ann

    Loved the pictures with the story. I agree with others. It seems a book would be a good idea. The meals sounded delicious too. FH did a great job! Maybe he will find he enjoys it. My hubby has been able to cook a couple things, fried eggs with hashbrowns, and pork chops. I had to go help my son and DIL having pregnancy troubles for 2 months. Guess what? Hubby discovered he likes to cook and had a hard time yielding the kitchen to me. It kind of annoyed me. Am I crazy?

    Reply
  30. Brenda, Walker, LA, USA

    Ha, Too funny, good story with vintage images! God Bless you, Corey!

    Reply

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