Have you ever been in the process of saying goodbye to a bunch of people, but somebody keeps missing the cues? You’ll be all, “Okay, so, I’ll see you later,” and then someone asks a question that launches a whole new conversation, so then you have to start again from the top, with a few steps back this time, and an “All right, then, thanks again.”
Well, that’s kind of how I feel about ending the Italian section of Cookbook Friday. The gas light has been on for a while and all signs point to the next off-ramp, and yet I keep driving right on by.
As my own blog editor, I’m saying we’re done with the Italians. It’s been almost a year since I started posting excerpts, and prospective publishers say I’m supposed to be making some kind of progress on the manuscript. I thought the blog would help me stay on track, but now the blog is just distracting me. Which is fun (la la la laaaaaaaa), but let’s just say the manuscript isn’t writing itself the way I’d hoped it would.
So, let’s do one last recipe from the Italian side next week in homage to Nonni. Because we all know that the only reason anybody reads this blog is to look at pictures of my hot grandmother. (Stop looking at her like that. I’m serious, I’ll kick your ass.) Then, I’m taking a break from Cookbook Friday so I can rework this $%&*@ book proposal (I was going to say motherfucking, but since this is a family cookbook, I thought better of it).
If all goes well, we’ll start in with the Appalachians sometime in February. That’s right, more hot grandmothers coming up. I know “hot Appalachian grandmother” sounds like an oxymoron, but, guess what, it’s not! So, ya’ll come back now, you hear. (Do Appalachians even talk like that? Maybe I need to do more research.)
I'm here for Grandpa's hairdo. rrowr! Just how much pomade is that?
Posted by: Jess | January 25, 2008 at 03:07 PM
I think it's neat how you include so much personal family history.
Posted by: Mary | January 25, 2008 at 09:59 PM
Every single post I read of yours, I end up cracking up!
Posted by: Kristen | January 25, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Well, at least you're finally getting freaking published! We've been waiting for the goshdarn thing long enough. Dimmit. (Clean enough? Shit.)
Posted by: Sally | January 26, 2008 at 09:48 AM
Sally: It's not a done deal by any stretch, so don't jinx it.
Kristen: Are you drunk, by chance?
Mary: I find that kind of stuff fascinating. Glad I'm not the only one.
Jess: I guess now that my female readership has surpassed my male readership, I should be focusing more on hot grandfathers. Can I interest you in a handlebar mustache?
Posted by: Tammy | January 26, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Handlebar mustache? I'm interested....;-)
Posted by: Helen (Food Stories) | January 26, 2008 at 01:27 PM
"Hot Appalachian grandmother" is in no way an oxymoron, honey.
Where are your Appalachians from?
(You might be interested to know that there are quite a few Appalachian Italians in the world.)
Posted by: Rebecca | January 26, 2008 at 03:37 PM
Rebecca: Very good to know! I'll be looking forward to all the extra Google hits I'll get for "hot Appalachian grandmother." My family is from Price's Fork, VA and Pike County, KY. And you're in WV? Your blog is great. Gorgeous masthead.
Helen: You are a woman of impeccable taste.
Posted by: Tammy | January 26, 2008 at 07:57 PM
do appalachians really talk like that?
yer darn tootin. loud and proud. :)
Posted by: a. grace | January 27, 2008 at 05:05 AM
Hey, thanks! That's my Appalachian kitchen window... Price's Fork isn't far from here at all -- I go down that way to shop at the adorable old-school Blacksburg Food Coop sometimes. (I'm in Monroe County, the southeasternmost county in WV.)
Posted by: Rebecca | January 27, 2008 at 12:44 PM