Grandma’s holiday ham recipe
An interesting, true story which I’ll tell you next perfectly illustrates how your Belief System makes you tick, even when the true facts prove you’re off track...(See: 4/11/2007 post)
A young married couple, Stephen and Marilyn Carlson, had moved into a new condo which they now could afford thanks to a raise in position and salary that Stephen recently earned.
One of Marilyn’s many talents was preparing the greatest baked ham Steve had ever tasted. He asked her if she would agree to make one on any upcoming weekend, so that he might invite the boss and his wife over for dinner.
Flattered, Marilyn agreed and so, after the guests of honor arrived and appetizers and drinks were served, Mrs. Phillips, the boss’ wife, joined Marilyn in the kitchen and expressed how everything smelled so good here. After friendly and happy chit-chat, dinner was served.
When Marilyn brought out the pan containing the ham, its fragrance and golden appearance elicited loud praise mixed with anticipation from the Phillips’. So, Marilyn bragged about how she always makes criss-cross cuts on top...sticks cloves and garlic slivers in the ‘X’es...rubs herbs, salt and pepper and honey all over it, then cuts off a couple of inches from both ends before putting the ham in the pan.
Mrs. Phillips asked Marilyn what was the reason for this?, to which Marilyn responded, "Well...to tell you the truth...I don’t know exactly why, but according to an old family recipe, that is what my mother taught me to do, just as her mother taught her...and you know the old saying: "What was good enough for Mommy is good enough for me...just like that old time religion !"
On their way home, Mrs. Phillips remarked to her husband that, although that was one of the tastiest hams ever, she found it to be too dry and attributed that to the severed ends, which must have let all the juices run out...
A couple of months later, at Easter time, Marilyn’s grandmother came over for a visit, and to meet Stephen. She delighted in watching her granddaughter prepare the traditional family ham, but almost screamed when Marilyn started cutting off the ends, and excitedly asked Marilyn why she was doing this?
So the young lady repeated the answer given previously to Mrs. Phillips and added "Granny, isn’t that what you taught Mommy to do?’...to which the matriarch responded: "Yes, child...but don’t you see?...we were so poor in those days that we couldn’t afford to buy a larger pan!" :o)
Habits…Belief System...ends of the ham...there you have it...No logic, No good sense, No rhyme, No reason...and, remember to : "Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you don’t have a leg to stand on!" :o)
So: may I strongly recommend that you learn to take time...take a hard look...take stock to review, make a list of your most prominent, repetitious, habitual traits: those things you do that most other people appear not to appreciate, criticize, complain about, object to and perhaps were honest enough to have mentioned to you that this or that which you act like or do is not "cool".
Mind you: I am not suggesting that you automatically fold up or yield under the will, the pressures, habits, prejudices, dictates, "ways" or customs of others around you. For, to retain and maintain your own, special, individual mindset is most important for you to be "your own person".
What I am saying is: "Take a hard look, consider all your "different"..."odd"..."original"..."strange"..."unique" personality traits and behavior patterns".
A "pattern" is a significant, possible key to a problem, if one exists on the Negative end of the spectrum: it is revealed by the anti-social, aberrant, unorthodox, etc. "things" or "ways" you think, say, do repeatedly...and Believe to be "Right", although enough others frown upon them, to say the least.
By performing the introspective exercise which I propose, you may just find that it IS indeed "Right", especially for you. Then again, you may be surprised to discover that it is not...in which case, you have a Decision to make, don’t you?...such as make a few (rea)adjustments or "changes", slight or drastic.
Fortunately, what with this series of writings which I am sharing with you, you now have a relatively easy system of ridding yourself of the habit(s) which you find is/are no longer desirable, and wish to trade in for better choices.
Your Friend,
Jacques
A young married couple, Stephen and Marilyn Carlson, had moved into a new condo which they now could afford thanks to a raise in position and salary that Stephen recently earned.
One of Marilyn’s many talents was preparing the greatest baked ham Steve had ever tasted. He asked her if she would agree to make one on any upcoming weekend, so that he might invite the boss and his wife over for dinner.
Flattered, Marilyn agreed and so, after the guests of honor arrived and appetizers and drinks were served, Mrs. Phillips, the boss’ wife, joined Marilyn in the kitchen and expressed how everything smelled so good here. After friendly and happy chit-chat, dinner was served.
When Marilyn brought out the pan containing the ham, its fragrance and golden appearance elicited loud praise mixed with anticipation from the Phillips’. So, Marilyn bragged about how she always makes criss-cross cuts on top...sticks cloves and garlic slivers in the ‘X’es...rubs herbs, salt and pepper and honey all over it, then cuts off a couple of inches from both ends before putting the ham in the pan.
Mrs. Phillips asked Marilyn what was the reason for this?, to which Marilyn responded, "Well...to tell you the truth...I don’t know exactly why, but according to an old family recipe, that is what my mother taught me to do, just as her mother taught her...and you know the old saying: "What was good enough for Mommy is good enough for me...just like that old time religion !"
On their way home, Mrs. Phillips remarked to her husband that, although that was one of the tastiest hams ever, she found it to be too dry and attributed that to the severed ends, which must have let all the juices run out...
A couple of months later, at Easter time, Marilyn’s grandmother came over for a visit, and to meet Stephen. She delighted in watching her granddaughter prepare the traditional family ham, but almost screamed when Marilyn started cutting off the ends, and excitedly asked Marilyn why she was doing this?
So the young lady repeated the answer given previously to Mrs. Phillips and added "Granny, isn’t that what you taught Mommy to do?’...to which the matriarch responded: "Yes, child...but don’t you see?...we were so poor in those days that we couldn’t afford to buy a larger pan!" :o)
Habits…Belief System...ends of the ham...there you have it...No logic, No good sense, No rhyme, No reason...and, remember to : "Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you don’t have a leg to stand on!" :o)
So: may I strongly recommend that you learn to take time...take a hard look...take stock to review, make a list of your most prominent, repetitious, habitual traits: those things you do that most other people appear not to appreciate, criticize, complain about, object to and perhaps were honest enough to have mentioned to you that this or that which you act like or do is not "cool".
Mind you: I am not suggesting that you automatically fold up or yield under the will, the pressures, habits, prejudices, dictates, "ways" or customs of others around you. For, to retain and maintain your own, special, individual mindset is most important for you to be "your own person".
What I am saying is: "Take a hard look, consider all your "different"..."odd"..."original"..."strange"..."unique" personality traits and behavior patterns".
A "pattern" is a significant, possible key to a problem, if one exists on the Negative end of the spectrum: it is revealed by the anti-social, aberrant, unorthodox, etc. "things" or "ways" you think, say, do repeatedly...and Believe to be "Right", although enough others frown upon them, to say the least.
By performing the introspective exercise which I propose, you may just find that it IS indeed "Right", especially for you. Then again, you may be surprised to discover that it is not...in which case, you have a Decision to make, don’t you?...such as make a few (rea)adjustments or "changes", slight or drastic.
Fortunately, what with this series of writings which I am sharing with you, you now have a relatively easy system of ridding yourself of the habit(s) which you find is/are no longer desirable, and wish to trade in for better choices.
Your Friend,
Jacques
posted by Jacques Girard, Ph.D. at 4:54 PM
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