An Unusual Marriage

I would've never thought that tomato and apple would make a good combination, would you?

Last week as we entered the home of Abigail's piano teacher, a wonderful aroma met us at the door. Abigail's teacher explained that she had made chutney the night before. When I told her I'd never tasted chutney, she ushered me into the kitchen, grabbed a spoon from the drawer and a jar from the refrigerator. She hovered as I tasted, exclaiming, "Well, you may not like it at all!" But I did like it! Very much! In fact, I asked her for the recipe. Yesterday as we arrived for another lesson, she gave me the recipe with strict instructions and explanations.

I got a cooking lesson from England, as that is where this dear lady is from. In fact, she keeps her citizenship there, although she is married to an American man. Would you have known that an English pint has 20 ounces instead of 16? Each week as I sit in on Abigail's lesson I am transported across the pond. It's quite fun to listen to the ticking, and chiming of the many clocks marking the minutes, and to study the English china plates on the wall.

Abigail and I left lessons and wait straight to the grocery store where we purchased the ingredients that I knew we didn't have on hand. I spent last evening in an extremely aromatic kitchen: peeling, chopping, washing jars, and reducing liquids. I have 9 pint jars and a small dish of chutney to show for it.