Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Round 4

As most of you know I LOVE COOKING! Any chance I can get in the
kitchen and try a new dish or make a "Jonelle Concoction" and I am
happy. Last week we had invited our new friend Mairel Howsepian
Rodriguez over for dinner (she is a wonderful 28 year old wife,
teacher, writer, and coolest person ever since SHE BROUGHT US Baking
Powder & CHOCOLATE CHIPS in her carry-on!!!!!!) She was here for a
whirlwind-Easter-Week-historical-sightseeing-meet the Armenian
Relatives she had never met before-writing research-extravaganza
week. We were blessed to meet her (Al & Barbara Howsepian's
niece...and as you would all expect YES she to is BRILLIANT!) I
digress. She was set to come over for dinner and we were waiting her
call so Kalem could pick her up from her flat. At 5:45pm Kalem came
in with the few final touches I needed for my meal and with him he
brought our cousin, by marriage, Sam! Some of you know and love Sam
and met him in Fresno some 9 years ago when he visited lived on the
ranch with Mom & Dad Kazarian for a week or so. Sam is hysterical!
He speaks English with a "Sam" flare that you really have to hear to
appreciate! I greeted Sam with a hug and kiss and asked him, "Sam,
soorj oozoom es?" Do you want coffee? For those of you who know Sam
that is like asking would you like to breathe or would you like your
heart to continue beating (now that I think about it, the coffee is
PROBABLY THE reason his heart KEEPS beating...remember the frogs in
10th grade biology?) Alas, in the midst of my dinner prep I stopped
to make soorj. Sam and Kalem sat outside and I set out the coffee and
the confet (candy). Another side note...a good Armenian wife needs to
be ready at a moments notice to prepare soorj and have some simple
treats when guests drop in...I was baptized into this one afternoon
and learned quickly. I felt like I was a pro at the drop-in-soorj-and-
confet-gig. But I had NEVER had someone drop in at 6PM!!!! In my
country that is called DINNER TIME! Nonetheless, I made the coffee
and then washed the Jazveh (coffee pot which is a metal 'mug' with a
wooden handle affixed to the side! I needed the Jazveh because I was
creating a tremendous new dessert for my guest! I needed the Jazveh
to melt some chocolate for these tiny tartlets (let me know if you
want the recipe!) I no sooner got the Kisses into the pot when Judi
comes in (out of breath in Judi style...very dramatically) and says,
"Serob and his wife are outside to visit too. They need coffee!" OH
MAN!!! Now look at the mess I'm in...I have no Jazveh, no other small
pot (believe me there is a dearth of pottage here (DEANNA!!!!) so I
have to scramble since my arch nemesis is outside waiting for her
soorj. One more thing. In Armenia a woman's whole worth is judged in
the split second her coffee reaches another woman's lips! I sent Jude
back out to ask if they like it dar (no sugar), sorvoragan (medium
sweet), or karxer (sweet). She reported that they wanted it
"Norrmall" (medium sweet). I just had to get the melted chocolate
into these blasted little tartlets and Kisses DO NOT MELT WELL!!!! Be
Warned! I tried to apply the hardening chocolate as fast as I could
and get the Jazveh washed. I finally got the pot cleaned, the coffee
dust in, and the perfect amount of sugar in (Iron Chef I laugh at
you...you don't know pressure until you've been in my gosheegs!) I no
sooner set the Jazveh on the stove when Kalem came in and stated, "She
beat you to it!" "WHAT?" "She beat you to it, she already made the
coffee so don't worry about it." DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT are YOU KIDDING
ME?????? This was akin to a Frenchman slapping me across the face
with his thin leather glove! Oh, no lady. I don't go down that
easy! I pulled out all the stops. I plattered olives, cheese, and
salami and sent Judi out with the dish. I started heaping Mock Kehyma
on another dish and sent that out too. I arranged 3 different types
of bread and even sent out my melted cheese & green onion tartlets
(same shell appetizer filling!) that I made for our guest MAIREL!!! I
dared not go out there, I am scrappy but I am still a wimp! Kalem
said when Mrs. Serob saw all that I had prepared, "she was
speechless...her mouth just hung open!" YES!!! I may be a new
Armenian Lightweight but I can hold my own in the kitchen! Score:
Mrs. Serob 2-- Jonelle 2 1/2!!!! : )

5 comments:

Nicole =) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nicole =) said...

So basically you gave Serob's wife an "Ah HEEELLLLLLL NO!" and stepped up your game!! I was laughing all the way through it...good stuff!

Love you!
Nic

Curious George said...

My mouth watered as I read your blog.

Mick Fuller said...

what was left for poor Mairel?
I'd have been tempted to introduce Mrs. Serob to the exquisiteness that is "the mocha" coffee, chocolate cream. that or a well-aimed fry pan.

Mariel Howsepian-Rodriguez said...

The tarlets were SCRUMPTIOUS. :)