Zobell Hell

There are 73 other things of greater importance that I should be doing right now, but I would prefer blog. I figure, at least I'm not out committing crimes, yeah? So, I shall blog away!

Sarah has long indulged us on classic Zobell cuisine of her upbringing. We have laughed at the very best Mormon cooking has to offer as best exemplified across the dinner table at the Zobell household. Most all of the recipes seem to start with "creamed" (translated: "in white sauce") and end with some sort of meat product. The classics of downhome cooking came to life for Sarah as she grew and grew and grew. And though probably laughed about and joked about, we all know those dishes are yuuuummy! (At lease every once in a while.)

One recipe of historical significance that Sarah has only talked about as if in myth, was the infamous "Creamed tuna and canned peas over blueberry muffins." Blech you say? Blech is right! Though in the Zobell home, this was a meal for the taking! Sarah says she remembers really liking the dish which became a family regular for dinner. Few words need give newcomers any other conclusion to reach other then, "Blech."

So, this weekend, as Sarah and I were sitting around waiting for the rain to cease in Denver, the bright idea to prepare the "tuna/blueberry muffin" dish popped into my mind and as something I just had to try since Sarah and all of her tall family could attest to its deliciousness, I wanted to see for myself how this dish would fare on my pallette. Sarah asked me twice if I was sure this is what I wanted and I, with eagerness driven by curiousity, responded, "For sure!"


Sarah did all the cooking. I watched in wide-eyed (which I can do these days) excitement. Everything looked okay, until she brought the two main ingredients together. At which point my stomach and my judgment started waving red flags, which later became white flags. But I didn't surrender.

I wasn't afraid of offending Sarah because her apprehension was just as apparent as mine, but I guess the thoughts that came through my mind were, "This isn't a time of famine. Our shelves are not bare. I am not enhungered and poor. I'm sure I don't HAVE to eat this."
But I continued. I kept thinking, at some point, I'm going to like this. But alas, I never did. The peas were probably the worst part. By the time they reached my mouth, they were already beginning to disintegrate into mush with the rest of the muffin/tuna/white sauce combination.

I didn't ever feel okay the rest of the evening. My night of sleep was unpleasant to say the least and even in the morning, the yucky feeling just never went away. Even as we were on our way to Boulder for the day, my stomach was unforgiving of what I had fed it the night before. It was a damaging experience.

I can't say that I would agree with Sarah on her enjoyment of the tuna/muffin dish (though her opinion may have changed since Sunday night). For sure I would not be able to agree. Even on a good day and Sunday was a pretty good day.