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When most people hear the word simmer, they automatically think of cooking something slowly and gently, like a soup or a sauce, making sure to provide just enough heat in order to not only cook the food completely, but also to carefully infuse all of the flavors throughout the dish, making it more complex, tastier and, simply put, more complete. For instance, no one orders a ‘simmered’ burger or fajita, but a simmered beef stew, especially in the cold winter months, is a delight. Simmering takes time and in this fast-paced, instant world, it is, often, a cooking technique best reserved for a crockpot or … a holiday.
Formally, the definition of simmer is to cook just below the boiling point, which is why, all too often, this term is also widely used beyond a recipe instruction. People or groups with opposing views might do well to take a moment and ‘simmer’, keeping their reactions below the point of explosive so that a heated argument, steeped with regret, is avoided. Likewise, a judge or jury often ‘simmer’ before rendering a more thoughtful and well-regarded opinion or verdict. Ironically, the word simmer has become synonymous with its antonym of soothe, because taking the time to simmer, almost always, yields a better result.
My favorite example of a well-appointed time for simmering, is with pregnancy. Ideally, there are 40 weeks needed to bring a baby to full term, although since medical science is never flawless, anything north of 36 weeks is typically considered ‘done’ with those final four weeks set to ‘simmer’, ensuring (typically) a healthy baby who is born equipped and ready to fully develop into a flavorful and complex little human. Although modern medical science has progressed tremendously, ensuring that babies who are born prematurely can have excellent prognoses, it remains a fact that a baby born at 32 weeks (typically) still has more developing and growing to do and the mothers and fathers who have to step aside and let their babies ‘simmer’ in a hospital, away from their nurturing protection, are remarkable. Due to a medical necessity, my daughter just had her baby boy at 32 weeks, and although he is beautiful and seems very healthy, he still needs to spend weeks in special care so that he can develop his lungs and systems so that he can come home ready to do all of the things a newborn baby does. My daughter, herself a maternity nurse, is deeply devastated to leave her baby, but understands how important this short amount of time is for the lifelong benefit of her son. I am also, as a grandparent, missing being able to hold my new grandson, but I, too, understand that for the safety, health and well-being of not only my grandbaby, but for all of the new little babies who are still developing their complex systems, I need to be patient and focus on the time when he can come home healthy.
So— for all of you who may be missing being with those you love during this holiday season…. Let 2020 keep simmering because… 2021 will be worth the wait!
Stew. Stew.
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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