My mother-in-law, truly a lovely lady.
So delightful that when she came to town this week, she brought with her a container of homemade oatmeal cookies.
My mouth waters just thinking about what might be, the best oatmeal cookie I’ve ever had.
Perfectly round, baked to chewy consistency.
I devoured a couple.
OK, maybe it was 12.
Who’s judging?
Surely, not you.
I savored each bite giving thanks for an excellent baking mother-in-law and dreaming, considering, just how even more wonderful these cookies would be if next time, she threw in a few thousand raisins.
Yes, raisins.
My name is Daryn and I happen to love raisins.
There I said it.
I’m in love with one of the most unpopular foods on the block.
I delight in raisins’ chewy texture.
Great flavor.
Dash of sweetness.
Raisins are simply fun.
Cookies.
Sweet rolls.
Casseroles.
There is no food that is not enhanced by the addition of raisins.
What about chubby toddler fingers digging in one of those tiny snack boxes.
Is there anything more adorable?
Raisins make me happy.
And lonely.
For all the members of my family who feel the same about raisins, well, they could fit on the head of a raisin.
Any of them see the slightest hint of a tiny crinkly brown food and they run like they’re being chased by a radioactive cockroach.
I casually mentioned my inspired raisins-in-the-cookies idea to Husband.
Raisin-hating Husband.
He looked back at me like I’d suggested adding a handful of rocks.
Mother-in-law and I will have to have a private conversation about this.
Am I alone in this, Dear Reader?
Alone in my passion for an unpopular food?
What misunderstood delight has you making a reservation for Party of One?
Sadly, my food isolation does not end there.
The flip side is not liking a popular food the world seems to love.
For me, that is, don’t hate me, cheese.
An aversion that goes back to when I was a kid.
Out of respect for you cheese devotees, I will spare you the body fluid cheese tastes like to me.
All cheese.
This is not a dairy thing.
I devour ice cream, butter, milk on my cereal.
But cheese.
Cannot even swallow it.
A simple dusting of Parmesan will get a dish sent back at a restaurant.
What is it for you?
That food you cannot even fake swallow if served at your friend’s house?
How is it a food, even one as tiny as a raisin can divide families, states and nations?
In the spirit of “Can’t we all get along?”
Compromise.
Reaching across the aisle.
I offer you an idea.
Raisin cheese.
This must never be done.
On this, I’m sure, we must agree, Dear Raisin-hating Cheese Lover.
Maybe we can talk about it over a batch of cookies.
I’ll take the ones with the raisins.
Maybe Mother-In-Law will make you a cheesecake.
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