My neighbors have all the fun. Seriously. They’ve had problems with water in their basement so they called on some landscapers to regrade their backyard. Landscapers dug up tons of really, really old glass bottles. We’re not talking Coors Light or even Coke. These bottles range in size from a tiny dropper size to a small whiskey flask size. Some of them have raised lettering reminiscent of the earliest Coke bottles (circa 1894).

Here they are lined up on the railing, several days after they were unearthed.

Historians (i.e.  the oldest people on the block) say this street was a farm way back when. But so were most houses in Suburban America. Knowing this region and it’s love affair with alcohol, I’m thinking early moonshine bottles.

The really tiny ones must have been travel size. I’m guessing the TSA wasn’t as strict back then, and if you wanted to bring something to warm you up on a cold wagon ride across town, why bring whatever size you want – just bring enough to share with the rest of the menfolk.

Or maybe it was for stashing a much-needed drop of spirits among petticoats or waistcoats during a visit to the future in-laws, confrontations with dangerous outlaws, or fortification when going to fight yet another skirmish at Fort Whatnot.

Who knows.

What I find so beautiful about these bottles is that they’re a tangible link to our past. I know it’s cliche, but there’s no other way to say it. I’d love to find out what these bottles were used from, why they were buried, and how long they’ve been lying there waiting to be found.  If you’ve got clues, let me know!

Did I mention? I totally rock.

Right now there are five people in our family: 2 carnivores, 1 vegetarian and 2 nutritarians. One has peanut, sesame and chocolate allergies. One doesn’t touch any form of cheese with a ten foot pole. Several think salads are a creation of the devil himself. And everyone expects three nice meals a day. So…

Enter Chef Mama. For as long as I am given the gift of being able to work from home, I am happy to cook for this family of blended tastes.

Today, for example, I enjoyed a huge salad with beets and lemon juice, served one of my kids a gorgeous cheesy baked ziti (preceded by a generous portion of Romaine lettuce), while another got a bagged lunch with grape juice, an apple, popcorn, a sandwich and a home-made whole-grain blueberry-banana muffin.

Last kid needed a hot dish that could be eaten during a relatively short lunch break – no cheese, nothing too healthy, but filling and exciting enough for a teenager to enjoy with pleasure.

Here it is folks, my improv lunch: South African Smoked Faux Sausage Stir-Fry, served over a (boxed) rice blend with orzo.

Wish you could’ve smelled it. I sauteed small chunks of potatoes, carrots, leeks, celery, and Italian Tofurkey. I seasoned it with an awesome South African freshly ground spice mixture I picked up at Trader Joe’s. It’s got garlic, basil, paprika and sea salt. It’s awesome. Go buy it right now. You’re going to want to put it on everything.

Another cool grinder ‘spice’ they had at TJ’s was a blend of coffee, cocoa and sugar crystals. You can sprinkle it onto baked goods, into hot drinks, or just keep it in your pantry and wait for just the right use for it.

Our moment came when one of the kids butchered a chunk of challah dough while trying to make a six-stranded braid. I suggested said child roll it out, spray with olive oil, and sprinkle with this cool mixture. We then rolled it up, twisted it and baked it as a hot, delicious babka. Yup, that worked well for us.

It gets overwhelming sometimes, shopping, chopping, serving, washing, and then starting the whole process again. And sometimes I really blank when trying to come up with a suitable dinner to meet everyone’s needs.

But when I insert something new into the day, and present our kids with hot, delicious (custom-made) food, it gives me the kind of awesome pleasure which takes me gliding blissfully into the next shopping trip.