Photo and Pie by Chef David Slotto–Thanksgiving
Chef David
Have you ever wondered if the one you love, loves you in return? With the same intensity? With the same care?
I watch him stir, measure, taste, chop, add, stir again. I watch him labor over a pot of lactose-free milk slowly simmering, evaporating so that I can enjoy the same Thanksgiving pumpkin pie as everyone else in spite of my finicky digestive system. I watch him unload groceries carefully chosen after meticulous examination of labels to rule out dairy. Do you know how many cheeses are made of the easier-to-digest goats’ milk?
It’s that measure of attention, that extra spice that flavors every meal he prepares with that delicious spice of love.
on a green hillside
ewes drop spring lambs one-by-one
cheese in the offing
Note: Once when making a silent retreat in Pennsylvania in April, I stood and witnessed the birth of a couple of dozen lambs, all within a few hours of each other. Truly amazing.
Today for Haibun Monday, Kanzen Sakura asks us to remember one of our favorite meals–a hard task for me since I have enjoyed so many thanks to my husband who does all the cooking. I chose Thanksgiving.
Photo: David Slotto–herbs from the chef’s garden
Photo: David Sl
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
what a sweet haibun written in dedication to someone who loves you very much…and those photos are an added plus.
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Elegant and inviting.. From a pair of attentive hands 🙂
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A recipe for love.
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can you doubt the love? What a wonderful telling of a haibun! And the spring lambs being birthed. I had a lamb when I was a kid….”Lamby
formal name: Monty Wooly …apparently and old English actor. LOL!
I LOVE pumpkin pie…my favorite. Down here in the South they eat a too sweetened sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving….not the same at all…and your husband is an artist! Such a lovely haibun and haiku. Tender.
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oh this is ooozing with love. ❤ ❤ ❤ love every line!
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Just lovely!
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Chef David was indeed a careful chef. He did care about you to serve only things that would work for you. The other way would make a memorable meal, but not a good one. How sweet!
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A touching story of what love is all about! Thank you for sharing.
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A beautiful story of love Victoria, how good a man your husband.
Kind regards
Anna :o].
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Love that spice of love. 🙂
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perfect combination of prose and haiku…
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I can’t believe you have a chef David too, Victoria! Only my one doesn’t like me to watch him at work in the kitchen, which I can understand. I don’t like being watched either – It’s similar to not being able to type when someone’s looking over your shoulder. My David also scrutinises labels as I too have a finicky digestive system – and diabetes.
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i enjoyed reading the care he takes in the selection of ingredients and preparation. What a lovely question you pose to us, how do we know someone loves us in return , with the same intensity or even more – it is in the care they offer us. small gestures sometimes unnoticed and unappreciated – this is the return of love to us. I loved the gentleness of spring, the lambs and the prepared meal here.
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i’m just hungry for pie now… lovely approach here
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Oh, lovely. I can see the time and effort and love he invests in cooking for you. Cooking can be such a beautiful act of love.
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Oh I love this! 😀 Especially how you describe the way he ‘unloads groceries carefully chosen after meticulous examination of labels to rule out dairy.” Your husband’s love shines through all the way ❤️
Lots of love,
Sanaa
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Preparing meals is an act of love. I liked the leaf-shaped dough on the crust of that pie.
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So many of us envy your chef-in-residence, you lucky lady, The extra care given as love is stirred into the mix is truly a blessing.
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I really love the leap of thought from the meal to the spring lambs… and yes any dinner prepared with such car has to be lovely… I didn’t know that goat milk was better…
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Yes–easier to digest.
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Ah Victoria, my husband is the chef in our home as well. But yours, that extra loving touch to insure you can truly enjoy. Very special indeed! Love pumpkin pie — and my tummy was growling before I read this 🙂
Wonderful and fresh haiku is the whip cream on the pie 🙂
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Those little lamb looked like dollops of whip cream, come to think of it!
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You are truly blessed to have such a loving husband. I love the haiku. Lambs being born is a true miracle to witness. And this is why I left the world of professional cheffing…to cook for those I love, with love.
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It is a marvelous way to express love…that special ingredient.
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Yes it is. Love is the secret magic ingredient.
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A beautiful haibun Victoria and ‘that extra spice that flavors every meal he prepares with that delicious spice of love’ is so special and something to treasure for life xxx
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A delightful post. You are lucky to have someone who cares so much.
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