Chef Phoenix

You know how I mentioned that P's life is expanding with new videos of late? And how I gave credit to both our society at large and P's Papa in particular? Well, I should have mentioned another accomplice. The library makes for an unlikely suspect, I know, but is a major culprit nonetheless...

We've fallen in love with the Mulberry street branch library in the city. The books are organized in the most amazing fashion, the space is modern and gorgeous, the tables and couch accommodating, the librarian is Fabulous and... its just a few blocks from P's fave gelato store and pizza place. So every Friday we go get a scoop, read for a few hours and then meet E for a slice. Its a great outing during the cold months. With one hurdle for me, and one blessing for P: the video section.

Yup, the cat's out of the bag, there are free videos to be had. So the last two Fridays, (its a recent discovery) P has chosen a video to bring home alongside his new books and pint of ice cream (the holiday special, peppermint (sans food coloring!) is in stock right now). This last week was Ratatouille. The movie contains a surprisingly complex plot, providing P with lots and lots of questions as to character motives and vocabulary choices. He wants me to watch it right alongside him so his constant questions can be answered. After consuming it a few times he was inspired to call himself Chef Phoenix and start cooking. Feeling one with the lead character, he was certain his novel food combinations would be tre-magnifique. He picked and pulled from the pantry and then started stirring. Then he offered me the first bite. Ummm, let's review the ingredients: multiple bean types and tomato sauce (inspired by his direction I cooked chili with his left-overs), crushed peppermints, ketchup, pickle juice, mustard, sunflower seed butter, chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, zucchini, tomato chunks, sunshine drops and dry pasta. When I suggested that the cook usually tried his creations so he knew what changes he should make he told me "Not in this kitchen. In this kitchen, the cook lets the customer try the first bite."

What was most adorable was his certainty that his food would be delish. As he topped it all off with mounds of colorful sprinkles he told me he was making it to go alongside the chili. He then grabbed a serving utensil and four plates and served it up, "One for you, one for me, one for Papa and one for BB." Lucky, lucky us:)