“Measuring spoons”

Ceramic measuring spoons bought for a dear friend.

by Magdalena I. García

Plastic, metal or porcelain.

A number of pieces sold as a set.

Available in many sizes.

Held together by a ring.

Essential to measure

the right amount of  ingredients,

either liquid or dry,

to compliment a recipe.

They’re ever present in American kitchens,

indispensable for the successful execution

of everyday cooking and holiday recipes.

So they are often part of the dowry

given to a new bride.

No kitchen seems complete

without measuring spoons.

And yet I never saw measuring spoons

in the kitchens of my Cuban childhood,

where all kinds of dishes were prepared,

from hearty bean stews to tasty tropical treats.

I was raised by a generation of women

who used their own hands and eyes

to measure a pinch, a dash, a smidgen.

As I reflect on my own life,

so often out of sync yet longing for balance,

I look at my hands and remember

that no woman’s life is complete

without a set of internal measuring spoons.

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Written as part of a gift—a set of ceramic measuring spoons with butterflies—for my friend Susan Pudelek, one of the women who has taught me volumes about the importance of balance.