Butter Pasta

When I was a kid, I was a picky eater to say the least. I became a vegetarian very early own in my childhood. Although my grandparents would try to get me eat meat, I'd have nothing to do with it. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of vegetables at the time either. There was one food however that has remained a favorite of mine throughout my life, pasta.

Growing up I was told stories of my Italian father cooking typical Italian cuisine. These stories held a special place in my heart, so when I was old enough to start using the stove, I knew what I wanted to cook.

Whether I was with Mampau or my great grandma, they would often make me pasta if I was sick or if it was a special occasion. I didn't like a lot on my pasta, often eating it plain except for a dab of sauce in the middle. At one point, my grandma decided to make plain pasta, and then adding a couple of tablespoons of butter to melt and mix into it. That was it, so basic, yet so delicious.

It was so simple I could quickly put it together myself, yet there was something special about having my grandma make it for me because she knew I enjoyed it. I knew it was made with pure love with every stir.

The ingredients were very simple, a bag of egg noodles, a tablespoon of salt, and a couple of tablespoons of butter melted and mixed in after the pasta was cooked and drained. Sauce can be added according to taste.

Its been years since I've had my butter pasta. The memories remain strongly in my mind, sometimes I find myself tearing up when I think about it. Mampau passed away when I was seventeen, and my great grandma passed away when I was twenty-one. Until then, I had the comfort of knowing I was someone's baby. Whether it was my favorite comfort food, or a cold wash cloth on my face when I was sick. I knew I was loved unconditionally.

It is those memories that I carry with me through each day. When I feel like the world is dragging me down, it is that love that keeps me going. I feel as though I can do anything because they believed in me. When I think of eating this dish, I am flooded with happiness.

I still eat way more pasta then I should, though as I've grown older, I have gained appreciation of other foods, such as vegetables and seafood. In recently years, as we have developed healthier foods, we are able to enjoy pasta made of vegetables. I have tried and enjoyed cauliflower and zucchini pasta. Butter is still not the healthiest food, but when enjoyed in moderation doesn't hurt.

Food has the ability to bring us comfort in difficult times. It may be a piece of chocolate, or a slice of cheesecake. Perhaps its a cup of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows on a cold winter's day. Sometimes its a plate of fresh hot pasta when you long for a simpler time when your biggest concern was being able to play outside without falling in the big mud puddle, (which I failed at miserably.)

The most important ingredient in any food is love. Those memories that come with it lasts forever. When I eat a food that takes me back, I feel a comfort and happiness that lets me know everything will be alright. It is with those memories that I realize that though I am all grown up now, I will always be somebody's baby.