My husband, Hans, grew up in a family that knew the names of lots of weird veggies as well as how to cook them. When they say they’re having salad for dinner, they mean salad IS dinner—it will be healthy, with sprouts, nuts and vinegar dressing.
We are more of a meat-and-potatoes crew in my family. We have veggies with every meal, but they are side dishes.
Without this knowledge, I led my future husband to that minefield known as the meet-the-family dinner. My young son, my parents and sister, my aunt, uncle and cousins, my 90-year-old grandmother, and my fiance and I gathered around a table to indulge in prime rib and sides of baked potatoes, green bean casserole, dinner rolls and our traditional Jell-O salad.
“Some salad?” my…
