The List

I have a list. It's on yellowed notebook paper and is a list of my Mom's greatest hits in the kitchen. It starts with "1. Mole con Pollo" and ends with "45. Sausage + Peppers".

During the years my mother and brother lived alone together, after my father died, it served as a sort of short order menu. At the start of the week my brother would tell my mother the numbers for the dishes to make for dinner every night. For my mother, it solved the problem of trying to guess what my brother wanted to eat, and helped her plan the shopping.

The list is a mix of dishes my mother learned at home (35. Frijoles de Olla, or Simmered Beans), those she learned as a young woman working in a Mexico restaurant (10. Sopes and 16. Enchiladas) and, and those I'd introduced through experimentation and health kicks (43. Curry and 37. Verdura al Vapor, or Steamed Vegetables).

The list resurfaced after a recent move. I showed it to my mother and she laughed to see it. And was eager to add more dishes. We're missing new dishes and new ways of making them -- her Chiles Rellenos are no longer fried, but simmered in a thin noodle soup.

On to the list!