The beginning

Prologue

Fast-forward seven years from when I wrote what is written below. The world has changed so much. Dave and I parted ways. He no longer provides our family with meat and I don't feel all that goodness towards him. I was going to delete this post, but you can't delete history, and I meant what I wrote, when I wrote it. I am thankful for all the changes that have been made in my life since we left him - the greatest personal achievement has been my doctorate. I have no regrets from our 15 or so years together and no regrets from leaving him. 

Nga mihi o te tau hau! 

Dr Mawera :-) 31/12/2021

The Beginning

The other day I was listening to a song on the radio; Pretty Amazing Grace by Neil Diamond. Listening to the lyrics caused me to consider whether I had added the same sort of value to my husband’s life, as he had to mine, and if so, what that value is.

Dave was outside cleaning 28 peacocks which he had hunted for the night before, so, knowing I had a captive audience, I went outside to see him. I asked him “What value have I added to your life over the last few years? What has been the most important thing I have brought to your life?” He looked at me with the ‘God woman, have you nothing better to do’ look, and since that was not enough to deter me, he put the question back on me – “what do you think is the most important is thing you have done for me?” I went away to ponder this.

Later that day we had to drive to Tauranga and somewhere along the Matata Straights, after much contemplation it dawned on me the value I have added. I turned the music down and started explaining it to him; “I feel like I have celebrated your masculinity by encouraging you to hunt and fish to provide for our family. Every meal I cook for you is carefully prepared so you will know that work you have done in providing for it is appreciated. In a world that seems intent on forcing men into some sort of metro mold, you are given the support and freedom you deserve to be the man you are. I have respected you and your leadership of our family and in doing so, have helped you to know what a good man you are”… and so it went for a while. When I was done there was silence so I asked him if that was how he felt too; he said, “Yeah”.

As we continued down the road I asked him, “What is the most important thing you think you have brought to my life?” He immediately responded with “Meat!” I had just taken a bite from my sandwich as he said that and I nearly choked on it. “Meat?” I asked, after the choking fit subsided, “What about the fact that you have given me a family to love and care for; you have encouraged me to achieve my academic goals; you have taught me to hunt and fish and you have inspired me to be the best I can be?”. “Yeah” he said, “meat covers all of that”.

And so, dear reader, that sets the tone for this blog. I am all about food, the supply of it, the preparation of it and the love of it. I am not sure how often I will write, but since I think about food all the time, probably quite often. One thing that is for sure, this blog is about cooking from scratch and cooking kai that has been grown and or gathered. Please enjoy and if you feel inclined, I would really apprecaite your feedback.
Kia makona, Mawera x