The pudding is on the stove, but the Tiny Kitchen Assistant has abandoned his post on the step stool.
I’m not giving away any big family secrets by revealing that my mother hated to cook. It was rare for her to make special stuff, and for me, tapioca pudding was one of the most mystical things of all. Unlike cake mix — oil, eggs and 2 minutes with the beaters — tapioca required standing over the stove and stirring. To my 5-year-old self, this was real cooking.
At Safeway, I spotted the familiar red box of tapioca and decided to bring it home for the boy to try. Granted, the Tiny Kitchen Assistant already knows real cooking, but I figured that anything involving mixing, measuring and dessert would be a welcome addition to the meal.
As usual, he took his job of measuring and mixing very seriously, pointing out the 2-cup mark on the measuring cup and guiding me through the process. He even went so far as to show me how the pudding was still boiling, even when I stirred it, “just like the box asked us to!”
Results: A big thumbs-up. Not only did he eat the pudding, but he even allowed me to add a dollop of whipped cream on the top. In less than two weeks he’s attempted three foods that he previously detested (rice, potatoes and whipped cream), only to decide that each was more wonderful than the last. What’s next? Butter?