Six Tastes Kitchen

At six in the morning, the alarm went off and Jenny woke up from a state of half-sleep. She snoozed off her phone’s alarm, hoping to catch a few more minutes of rest. However, she remembered the date. She needed to get up. Every morning was a challenge for Jenny – a repetitive cycle of getting out of bed and starting the day. Despite feeling unmotivated, she always managed to make it to work.

“But today is a special day,” Jenny thought to herself.

Jenny, at the age of 32, has no current romantic involvement. Most of her past relationships were brief; ranging from one-night stands to week-long whirlwind romances. None have developed into a serious commitment.

She often asked herself, “Who would love or marry someone like me?” She stood in front of the standing mirror, feeling the shape of her waistline and hips. They were not shaped like an hourglass, but more like a hearty apple with a thicker waist, hips, and thighs. “Ugh, why can’t I be skinny!” she mumbled, sighing in frustration.

Jenny struggled with feeling attractive about herself. She thought that all parts of her body were either unappealing or unattractive. Despite this, she had a few romantic encounters in the past. Her lack of confidence was preventing her from finding happiness, and her father frequently reminded her about it.

Jenny was in the process of preparing for work when her phone began to ring. It was her father on the other end. She answered the call, “Hello Dad, I am just about to leave my apartment and head to work. Are you coming today?” 

“Hi sweetheart, Yes I’m on my way! I’m heading back today too, before it gets dark.”

Jenny’s father, Rob, still lived in their farmhouse about 200 miles away from her apartment in the big city.

“Absolutely, Dad! Let’s meet at lunchtime; at the same restaurant?”

“Of course. I’ll see you later. Love you!”

“Bye Dad, love you too!”

Today seemed to fly by for Jenny, as she looked forward to enjoying lunch with her Dad. Seeing him, especially on this date, always brought her joy and a glimpse of light in her hazy days. He reminded her that she was unconditionally loved.

At the restaurant, Jenny ordered her standard meal of a cheeseburger, french fries, and freshly squeezed lemonade. Rob, on the other hand, decided on a Reuben sandwich, housemade potato chips, and sweetened iced tea.

Before their food was served, Rob handed Jenny a paper gift bag with a package inside it, wrapped in foil. Jenny took the package out of the bag and unwrapped it; she caught a whiff of the contents.

“Dad, it smells delicious!”

It was a sweet Zucchini Summer Bread. This was her mother’s favorite thing to bake during summertime when their vegetable garden was in full harvest. Jenny’s parents were farmers who grew a variety of vegetables, including summer squash, which they sold to farmers’ markets and farm cooperatives. Jenny recalled always asking her mother why she always makes zucchini bread and not banana bread. And her mother would always explain to her that they grow summer squash and not bananas.

Jenny unwrapped the zucchini bread and the sweet, nutty, and chocolate aroma filled the air. She took a chunk of the cake with her fork and bit into it.

“Dad, this cake tastes just like Mom’s zucchini bread.”
“I tried for three years to get that exact taste. I’m glad you liked it.”
“I can’t believe it’s been three years today.” Rob was trying to hold off his tears.

Jenny’s face turned momentarily sad. She looked at her Dad and gently squeezed his hand for comfort.
“I know Dad, it’s not been easy for me either. I miss her so much.”

Three years ago on this date, Jenny’s mother passed away from cancer. Every year since then, her father would meet her for lunch and bring a mini loaf of Zucchini Bread that he made using his wife’s recipe. Jenny and her Dad wanted to keep doing this every year as a way for them to honor and remember the mother and the wife that she was. As they ate the bread, they reminisced about the happy memories they shared with her. And each bite of the bread becomes sweeter with time.

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