In July 1978, literature professor Juan Sierralta published his book El fogón gastronómico ilustrado. An unusual title for what he wanted to convey with his work, the history of food in his country.
Juan is a popular taster of flavors and amateur cook, although he has not studied gastronomy. In the midst of life's journey, he had the good fortune to surround himself with and meet, personally, famous chefs from his country, as well as foreign historians, nutritionists and gastronomic commentators. Many of his colleagues and friends scoffed at this crazy idea, some felt ashamed, and never again interacted with him.
After this event, Juan, once a talkative, social activist and researcher by nature, felt betrayed by his closest friends and colleagues. His wife, Maritza Martínez, faithful companion of her husband's culinary adventures, tries to revive him so that he can return to his ordinary life:
-Juan, what is happening to you is temporary. You are a spirit ahead of your time. You have masterfully integrated the food past and future. This is the first book to be published in this area and it is an important document for the new generations. Let time take its course.-
-Food is history, through food we can know many things that happened in our families. In my book I even captured the fusion of flavors of different cultures that coexist in our country, I ordered the oral heritage that is transmitted from generation to generation, I also added nutritional data of the food .... and still they consider it a trifle- grumbles the restless and perfectionist Juan.
Ring, ring, ring. The doorbell rings. It's his nephews Omaira and Pedro Sierralta. They come to visit him and cheer him up. Their parents died when they were children, so Juan and Maritza took them in and raised them as the children they never had. They always remember with pleasure the family gatherings, where the aroma of coffee and the taste of chocolate and passion fruit cake permeated their senses.
They enter the house and immediately Omaira, smiling mischievously, goes straight to the kitchen. She wants to surprise her uncle with a recipe she has perfected. Meanwhile, Pedro, in a thick and patient voice, as if to appease his uncle's depressed mood, expresses:
-To bad weather.... good face. Everything happens for a reason that we still don't know.-
Juan's sharpness was not long in coming:
-What about your sister? She passed by like lightning, swiftly and without greeting.-
-She wants to surprise you, uncle,- answered Pedro.
-And what's the hurry?-
-I don't know exactly. She will tell you .... But I propose that we continue with the pending conversation about your Creole recipes with French techniques. My palate is dying to taste those rare combinations. Quite a laboratory of flavors, I suppose,- Pedro adds.
Juan knows that his nephew has many qualities but, unfortunately, he doesn't differentiate much between a gourmet dish and a street dish. Here, his somber mood turned into a rainbow that, for the first time after the book's publication, he burst into laughter when he listened to his nephew.
As Omaira prepared her soursop tarte tatin, already the sweet fruity fragrance was wafting into the living room of the house, as a preamble to the sense of taste. When it was finished baking, she unmolded it and placed it on a cobalt blue platter, which she immediately took to the dining room. There, the diners were waiting for her, singing softly in chorus.
-Niece, what are we celebrating?- asks Juan, now enthusiastic.
-My sweet experiment and something else. .... I gave the famous apple tarte tatin recipe a tropical twist, replacing the apple with soursop. I hope you like it,- says Omaira.
Everyone tasted the tarte tatin, undoubtedly the soursop gave it an original flavor, which everyone appreciated and thanked. At the same time, Omaira took the opportunity to introduce her new ideas to her uncle and her aunt:
-I have been thinking about it and it seems to me that, in the garden of the house, we can hold literary meetings on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, or rather I would call them Literary Coffees. Here we can all participate. Besides, uncle, this way you would make your works known, and also the creativity of your young cook friends that nobody knows. What do you think?-
Pedro, with his bohemian character and without thinking about economic expenses, answers with applause:
-Simply fantastic-.
Maritza, always dual, restrained and bold at the same time, thinks:
-We would have to make some arrangements for the garden and form a team-.
Now Juan happily intervenes:
-The team we already have. I'll take care of it. We'll start next week.-
Everyone smiles to see Juan so enthusiastic about the idea. Two months passed and Literary Coffee was inaugurated. It was a novel event. Years went by and Juan continued writing and commenting his anecdotes, analysis and his works. .....
The autumn of 1988 would bring Juan, who was already 68 years old, an unexpected surprise. His work would be recognized, with the publication of his most recent work, at the Agustín Nunes Theater. The event was scheduled for Friday afternoon, and he was required to wear a ball gown. For Juan this was an ordeal, he always wore sportswear, but he decided to make the sacrifice of wearing his silk tie, in bright turquoise blue, yellow and purple, for the occasion. His family was as excited as he was. Upon arrival they sat in the front row of the theater, intended for them.
Before the audience and after greeting them, the master of ceremony begins by saying:
-Nations are built with the effort of all, inspired or guided by a few bold ones who, although they seek to clarify the penumbras of life, sometimes confuse us and prevent us from the true meaning of our life. So begins the new book that we present today: Gastronomic Resentment, written by Juan Sierralta. We are indebted to Juan. He was the pioneer in writing about the history of food in our country and we want to do justice for not valuing at the time such an important contribution. That is why this tribute and recognition, Mr. Juan Sierralta, receive this plaque from the History Academy and the Gastronomic School.
Juan stands up from his seat. The public also and, at the same time, applaud effusively without stopping..... Fate happily made its adjustment in Juan's literary work.
The illustrated gastronomic stove by María del Carmen Sánchez Copyright © 2022
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)