Update From A Baby Hawthorne.

Rosie is thrilled.

Just a few minutes ago, one of my little Hawthornes called me. He's "left the nest," so to speak. "Mama, I want to make spaghetti and garlic toast tonight. Tell me how. What's that spice you put in the spaghetti sauce?" Well, My Little Grasshopper, take some hamburger meat and sear it, forking it up with a spatula and add salt and pepper, maybe soy sauce, some Lea & Perrins, add in chopped onions, peppers, and minced garlic, then drain the grease off and add in a can of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, and throw in some oregano and parsley. Ah ... Oregano was the spice he wanted. After I explained all the above, he asked me ... "Is Prego OK?" Yes, Grasshopper. Yes. "But what about the bread, Mama? I want to cut it on the diagonal, then put olive oil over top, and then what do I do?" I told him to melt in some butter with the olive oil, and sop up the oils with the bread, sprinkle some more oregano over top, and buy live parsley and basil plants at the produce section and cut and snip the leaves and add to the bread. Use some fresh garlic smeared across. And ... Parmesan. And bake until nicely browned and crisp. Wonderful bread. This particular Hawthorne has a profound distaste for Parmesan cheese. And good Parmesan at that. You won't believe what I told him to do. I told him to go to the dairy section and pick out the green canister of Kraft's Parmesan. Here, Baby Hawthorne. This is what it looks like. Oh, crap! NONONONONO!!!!! That's not it. This is: I grew up with that can of cheese. Making a pizza out of a box on Friday nights. Was it Chef-Boyardee? My first ventures into the culinary arts. I was in high school and I was already hooked. Dough. Sauce. Pepperoni. Parmesan. All in a box. Ahhh. The good life. I told him he'd be able to tolerate Kraft's Parmesan. Small steps. Baby steps. All I can do is open doors and invite one in. The rest is up to you.