Mangia! Mangia!
Vacation gone but not forgotten
ANTOINETTE JACKSON

Antoinette Jackson is a Bullard-area resident. You may reach her via e-mail at Antojxn@aol.com.

The suitcases are unpacked and returned to their storage in the attic. The photos are printed and put into albums. Thank you notes have been mailed to all who graciously offered their hospitality.

It's been almost a month since we've been home from our time in Montreal and Portland, Maine.

In the past, I would have returned to my daily routine and thought only occasionally about our travels. But this trip was different.

It started last February with an invitation to a family reunion from Matteo, my first cousin from my father's side of the family. It ended as we pulled into our driveway bringing our dog Rocky home from the doggie hotel.

It was life changing for me. For decades I've know my first cousins from Sicily and Montreal just by name.

In August my husband and I got to know them, their children and grandchildren as the beautiful people that they are. Saying goodbye to them, as Mom would say, left a hole in my heart.

Even my husband was touched by the visit. "I was telling my golfing buddies about our trip," Jack said. "I realized it wasn't about going to Montreal and Maine. It was all about our families." He couldn't have been more right.

We did so much in the three weeks we were in Canada and New England.

But, as I pasted my 260 photographs into albums, I became aware there is much more left to do.

I want to go back to Montreal. I want to know all the languages spoken there.

I want to be able to read the street signs in Quebec and understand what the people are saying when they speak French.

I want to be able to communicate with my Zia Rosa, Cugina Antoinette (also named after our grandmother), Cugini John and Matteo in proper Italian grammar.

I want to snap a photograph of Zia Rosa and Cugina Antoinette as they sweep the floor several times a day (Apparently, it's a Sicilian thing).

I want to leaf through Maria's and Emily's cookbooks and copy my first cousins' favorite recipes. I want to share my style of cooking with them.

I want to go down in the basement to see how Cousin Nino makes his own wine.

I want to get to know my younger second and third cousins better by digging deeper and learning more about their personalities.

I want to go to Mass in a French or Italian Church and see how it differs from the Catholic services here in the States.

My list goes on . . .

I want to explore more of Maine where my husband has his roots.

I want to eat more lobster and scallops and halibut and fried clams.

I want to get to know my sister-in-law Rosie's brother Fred and his wife Margaret better. I want to explore more little coves like Boothbay Harbor with them.

I want to go back to Old Orchard Beach, stay in a white clapboard cottage and walk to the beach early in the morning. I want to savor a PB&J on a wheat bagel served up by Eleanor, who says she doesn't take orders well.

Both Jack and I would return to Maine and Montreal in a "New York Minute" to do all these things.

We've invited both sides of our families to come see us in Texas. And truly hope they'll accept so we can reciprocate their hospitality.

I'm sure their invitation to a family reunion, a wedding or an anniversary celebration will appear some day. When it does arrive, we want to be better prepared.

Before he goes to sleep at night, Jack puts on his headphones and listens to his Berlitz' Study Course in Italian.

While working around the kitchen, I'm listening to French tapes and training my ear to French voice inflections.

But, just in case their invitation comes in the middle of the winter, I bought a post card to remind me of just how high the snow falls in that part of the country.

Mom's Pot Roast

This was my mother's favorite Monday night meal, with meat leftover for lunches the next day.

Mom added bay leaves and onion soup mix to the usual ingredients and prepared in it a pressure cooker to tenderize the meat.

NOTE: If you are not familiar with the safe handling of a pressure cooker, please use your slow cooker or oven instead.
4 to 5 pound chuck roast
1 / 2 cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
3 - 4 tablespoons light olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 / 2 package onion soup mix
1 1 /2 cups water
1 medium onion sliced
4 white potatoes quartered
4 carrots sliced
10 ounces frozen peas

Dredge the chuck roast in flour, season with salt and pepper and brown meat on all sides. Transfer to pressure cooker. Add bay leaves, onion soup mix and water. Secure lid and, following the manufacturer's instructions, cook the meat for 25 minutes.

Cool the pressure cooker in cold water; safely remove the lid and add the vegetables. Once again, secure the lid and finish cooking for another five minutes.

When done, cool and carefully remove the lid from the pot. Be sure to take out the bay leaves before serving.

Serves 4 or more.