Editor’s note: Recently in The Voice, the announcement was made of the passing of the conductor of the column, Ask Grandpa, which provided readers with 503 weeks of sage advice, humor, and continuity. Below is the repeat of the November 12, 2020 column. The Thanksgiving Gratitude column will run in the November 18 issue. Willing participants should send to askgrandpa@thevoice.us.
Grandpa,
I am avoiding using meat and animal fat in my cooking. I would like to make brown gravy, but choose not to use the commercial browning agents sold in the store because they use beef extract and way too much salt. I have tried using food coloring but cannot get it to come out the right color of brown. Any ideas?
Grandpa says: The best food darkening is always natural. I darken my gravy by putting the flour into a clean dry, heated, skillet and scorch the flour. I have much more success with flour than I do corn starch. When the flour heats, continue to turn it with a spoon. Don’t mix anything into the flour. Once the flour is very brown, let it cool before using it to make your gravy.
Grandpa,
Can’t we have just one Thanksgiving without you shoving your religious crap down our throats? To thank some mystical being for gifts that we have to work hard to get just makes no sense to me. I may as well go outside and thank the birds for singing and the sun for shining. You can’t even decide which god to pray to; sometimes it is Buddha, sometimes it is Mohammed and sometimes it is Christ. I don’t pray to any of them because I don’t believe in a god.
Grandpa says: Actually, I don’t pray to any of the names you mentioned. I pray to the one creator of all things. It is okay if you don’t believe in God. God believes in you.
Grandpa,
I am thankful for my mother-in-law. I am 17 years older than my husband. I have been through two divorces. Yet, when I met my mother-in-law for the first time, she accepted me openly. She is only six years my senior and yet she asked me to call her “Mom”. Her first husband passed long before I met her. Recently, her boyfriend of more than 20 years passed away. She has been a source of inspiration for me. So has her only son, my husband. Last Month we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. I am very grateful that Mom raised such a wonderful son. I hope this letter is not too long to include your Day of Thanks column. I just want Mom and my man to know how much they mean to me. Thank you.
Grandpa says: Such an expression of love is never too long to be shared. God Bless.
Grandpa,
Some time back I read an article you wrote about putting apples into potato salad. (See The Voice, July 9, 2020). I tried it and it was great! Since then I have had really good success with apples in my pulled pork, tuna salad, hamburger patties, and so much more! With that kind of success, I am considering using other fruits in various dishes. I just wanted to thank you for that letter.
Grandpa says: Before I pass judgment on the ideas you presented; I would have to try them out. Dinner invitations can be sent to my staff and me at the address below…; )