No matter how fast-paced life becomes, there are some things in life that should never be rushed, things that take longer, things that take a full commitment. That extends to certain types of food that cannot be rushed.
There is something different about making food that takes all day. There’s something different about slow food and slow cooking. It’s about waking up at dawn to make sure the dry rub is on the brisket that is at room temperature before it goes in the smoker. There is no dropping a brisket in the smoker and leaving it hoping you can “trust the process.” It’s an all-day commitment because eternal vigilance is the price of a juicy brisket.
It is about going all in on eggplant parmigiana by sweating the eggplant before you even bread it by dredging it in the flower, the egg and the breadcrumbs. It takes time to assemble that eggplant along with the sauce, the cheese and the spices. And then it takes a long time and patience to cook it the right way so the eggplant is just right.
But you can’t even begin to start your eggplant until you’ve gotten the sauce just right.
That requires a lengthy simmering of the fresh August tomatoes you gathered in the early morning sunlight.
On other occasions those tomatoes may be simmered on the stove all day with sausage or meatballs or mushrooms or whatever may be in the sauce. The savory smells of garlic, oregano, onions or tomato sauce simmering all day linger throughout the house long after they’re done on the stove.
Assembling spumoni is another art that requires patience. It’s not easy to assemble cherry, pistachio and chocolate gelato to create a layered masterpiece of dessert heaven. The labor of love is well rewarded.
Then there’s the smell of smoked wood, be it mesquite, hickory or cherry wafting in through windows open in the summer and filling the house. The meat sizzles and cooks all day.
Even meals like chili or stews cooking all day in crockpots on our counters trigger savory expectations.
So much of the culinary experience is boosted by the olfactory senses. The right aromas trigger an intense anticipation that sets the table in one’s mind for the evening meal.
In our fast-paced world where our smartphones are connected to our hips like a holstered gun, the days of all-day meal prep are fewer and farther between. Families with two working parents make it tough to commit to complex meals.
But on special occasions the elaborate meal prep still reigns.
The feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve, the turkey on Thanksgiving Day, the Easter ham, the elaborate iftar after sundown during Ramadan, the seder during Passover are cultural touchstones that bring friends and family together around a meal.
In the secular world, complex football tailgates require planning, staging and setup that begins the night (or many nights) before game day.
And in many families, there was often a designated day on the weekend for a big family meal. For many Italians, Sunday was a day when sauces, sausages, meatballs and peppers were on the stove all day. Family members and guests dropped in throughout the afternoon to grab a plate.
In the South barbeque is a passionate art that delivers an array of meats that are eaten throughout the day at family gatherings or at BBQ joints. From the Carolinas to Memphis to Texas, it is a religion and the pitmasters are the high priests.
In some places BBQ joints open at 11 a.m. and stay open until they sell out for the day. I’ve witnessed the delivery of crushing news when a BBQ joint manager tells people still in line that they have not made the cut.
But if you are early enough to make the cut or be part of an all-day family feast the draw is fellowship at a table with food prepared by someone who loves their craft. The best meals go far beyond simple sustenance and renew connections between friends and families.
But it also brings strangers together. Not long ago after waiting in line at Franklin Barbecue in Austin, my childhood friend and I sat with a complete stranger we met in line. But we discovered a mutual love of BBQ and college football over platters of brisket, smoked sausage, ribs, a Dr Pepper and a Lone Star beer with that Kentucky fan.
Two days later, when talking with Austin resident and noted Longhorn fan Matthew McConaughey, he told me, “Even I have to wait in line” when he goes to get his BBQ.
Just goes to show you that no matter who you are, the right food done the right way will always be worth the wait.
