When I was in kindergarten there were a few activities that kids got to do during free time. One of these was in a small kitchen area, where a table held a large vat of soapy water and dishes. Kids could go there and pretend they were cleaning and washing their dirty dishes, and I always wondered who in fuck would want to play at that? There was one girl, I don’t remember her name, who was consistently using it, splashing about in the water with big rubber gloves, happily going through the motions of post-dining duties. I never joined her, because, again, who in fuck would want to do that? The other night though, I made this virgin attempt at meatloaf and when it came time to mix it all with my hands, I thought back to that girl, and felt a little childish thrill at making somewhat of a mess in the kitchen. It turns out I can still rediscover a lost childhood, one dish of raw meat at a time.
As for the meatloaf, it was my first try and it came out pretty well. I shaped it myself instead of putting it into a loaf pan, so it went a little wider than hoped, but meatloaf isn’t supposed to be perfect. This recipe called for part beef and part pork sausage, a minced leek and red bell pepper, some parsley, and the other typical meatloaf ingredients. (The odd addition was some freshly-grated nutmeg.) Then it gets covered in tomatoes before going into the oven, which helps keep it moist and flavorful. Meatloaf is one of those delicious fall dishes that I’ve only recently started to enjoy as an adult. I don’t have any specific memories tied to it, other than the happiness of having a husband who makes this on occasion, and that’s enough.
