A Great Campfire Cook

I saw a CNN.com column today by nationally syndicated columnist Molly Ivins reminiscing on the renowned Texas wit on the late Texas Govenor Ann Richards.

Ivins' lead paragraph said, "She was so generous with her responses to other people. If you told Ann Richards something really funny, she wouldn't just smile or laugh, she would stop and break up completely. She taught us all so much -- she was a great campfire cook. Her wit was a constant delight."

I didn't often agree with Richards. We seem to hale from differing sides of the political tracks. But I do remember hearing of her wit and frequent use of Texas-sized colloquialisms.

The words, "she was a great campfire cook," struck me. They jumped right off the screen as I read them. It seems had I met Richards under the chuckwagon fly, we could've agreed to stick to good old fashion stick-to-your-ribs chuck.

Great food and the company it keeps can sometimes equalize relationships. After all the political wrangling is done, we all have to eat. And what better place to eat than beside the wagon with "a great campfire cook."

If it's politics, we can discuss your views and mine for a time. But when it's time to eat, we set our differences aside, pick up red, white and blue picnic plates and chow down.

Liberal verses conservative view don't seem to matter too much when a slab of Texas beef brisket stands in the way.

And besides, I love to eat and cook. I'm sure I could've learned a thing or two from Ann Richards, the "great campfire cook" from the great state of Texas.