Jumbo Gumbo

Recently I (Momlissa) turned 33, but please don't tell anyone. With the birthday came birthday presents from both my husband and my children, all of which were wonderful.

Any time there is a gift-buying occasion, Dadam takes the girls shopping and really lets them choose a gift without much interference. He'll take them to the kitchen store or Patina and guides them to areas where he knows they'll choose something I'll like.

This year Cecilia chose a little saucepan -red in color (my favorite), very tiny and very cute. The purpose of such a pot - at least as advertised - is to melt butter. It's called a JUMBO pot for melting butter. Cecilia, however, misread the tag and understood it to be a pot for GUMBO, and she thought I would love a pot specifically for making GUMBO.

Some time in the near future I'm actually going to make some gumbo and, when she's not paying attention, transfer a small amount to the new pot so I can serve my daughter the gumbo that she's hoping for.

Cecilia is such an earnest, thoughtful child that I will keep up this rouse as long as necessary, because I love the pot and her good intentions and the sweetness of it all SO MUCH.