Barb's Brussels Sprouts

what lies beneath the surface

She was a formidable woman, powerful and influential.  Incredibly dynamic. 

My husband's mother, Barbara, was well accomplished in her own right - and in a time when women weren't in high-power positions.  She made her way in New York City, making it clear that The City belonged to her, not the other way around. She reached the pinnacle to which she aspired, Executive Editor at Vogue Magazine. Top in her industry but humble, describing only generically what she did for a living when asked.  Barb was an enigma.

I count myself fortunate not only to have known her but to see more than just her professional persona.  On the other side of that rare coin was a woman who raised two boys and loved to cook. Barb was self-taught, mastering the art of the French.  

She had a repertoire of recipes she gathered and perfected over the years, and was renowned among family and friends for several of them, including this one.  This recipe - Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Cream - started with Barb.  I believe she found it in a Lee Bailey cookbook.  But as it was with all of Barb's recipes, she prepared them so well they became her recipes, an extension of who she was.

I first met this dish when my now-husband Pat and I were dating. They were on the table for my very first Thanksgiving with Pat's family. Every year after, they had a magical way of showing up on that holiday table, sometimes at Christmas, too.   With or without Barb in attendance, they found their way into my holiday celebration as well. 

As much as I love the flavors of this dish, I most love this recipe for the memory linked to it.

It was always a curious thing to watch Barb in the kitchen.  She had a particular way of doing things as she stood at the stove. Practiced. Just watching her sauté the garlic, deciding the right moment to add the Brussels sprouts - she was focused, careful that they didn't brown, and then gently adding the cream. As I watched her stir, I thought that here was this high-powered NYC businesswoman taking such careful care of a pan of shredded Brussels sprouts.

It was a study for me, and that's the image I have whenever I make this dish in honor of Barb.

She was strict with herself when she cooked.  I never would have interrupted her while she was making this recipe because she knew exactly what she was doing from the many, many times she prepared it. She was a quiet, gentle cook, and took pride in what she prepared. 

The longer we were together in life-Barb and I-the less and less she was cooking.  She would be thrilled if I asked her to prepare the Brussels sprouts, no matter whose table was set for the celebration.  She was surprised and humbled, holding her hands to her chest and questioning me, "You want me to make it?"  Barb, at the age of 95, even made this recipe for our last Thanksgiving together. 

I can still see her standing at the stove, stirring in the cream.

This is the thing about food.  It's a golden opportunity to make a connection, to see another facet of someone who keeps most of themselves hidden.  It's more than just that meal or that dish, that recipe.  What matters is whose hands touch the recipe.  It matters who stirs in the cream.

Food was important to Barb in many of the ways it's important to me.  It was a way she and I connected. It tied us to family memories and it’s how we grew together as friends. 

I remember walking into Pat’s mom and dad’s NYC apartment kitchen for the first time, feeling a thrill upon realizing that this was a food family.  They shopped several times a week, trotting to different markets for different ingredients. They were sophisticated and traveled. They were cooking with good ingredients and eating very good food.

It's only been since Barb has been gone that I have understood how many people considered her a great cook.  We had hundreds upon hundreds of meals together.  Given the choice of any dining partner, I preferred Barb. She was adventurous; she'd try anything...well, pretty much anything.

I have several of Barb's recipes that I love. Now, they are part of my repertoire.  Holding her cookbooks is like holding her close to my heart. 

So, from Barb's tiny NYC kitchen to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

…and for my marvelous paid subscribers, Barb’s recipe for Shredded Brussels Sprouts With Garlic and Cream is included in your Grateful-For-You Recipe Bundle.

Be gentle with it now.