AURORA – Many of the women I know told me they were upset by comments Mitt Romney made about their gender in the second presidential debate.
I wouldn’t think of speaking for them. However, I was also personally offended by what Gov. Romney said including:
“If you’re going to have women in the workforce … sometimes you need to be more flexible. My chief of staff, for instance, had two kids that were still in school. She said, ‘I can’t be here until 7 or 8 o’clock at night. I need to be able to get home at 5 o’clock so I can be there for making dinner for my kids and being with them when they get home from school.’ ”
It makes you wonder what alternative universe the presidential candidate dwells in?
I just sent a kid off to college. For 18 years, I, for the most part, cooked dinner for my family, did much of the grocery shopping as well as laundry, diapers, and daycare pickup. I helped teach my son to cook. When my mom lived nearby, I was also happily part of the sandwich generation.
It’s no brag at all, just the facts. It’s what PARENTS do these days, whatever their family configuration
Both my wife and I worked full time and we created schedule flexibility because we had too. I don’t pretend that it wasn’t ever hard. I had to educate my employers that I — man, father, husband — needed to be home to spend time with the family and cooking … or at least eating take-out or delivery food together. Time at the table is an essential adhesive that held our family together.
Maybe it’s a generational thing. Maybe the men of Mitt’s era expected to leave all that icky family stuff to the women, but the world and dinnertime have long since changed.
From my ilk to his I can only say: It’s your loss.
All I’m asking, Mitt, is that when you’re talking about the economy don’t insult me or the millions of modern guys who work hard and also parent.
If men are going to be in the workplace, you have to treat them with respect and flexibility.
FOOD NEWS UPDATE
The French Press Cafe and Bakery has opened at 15290 E. Iliff Ave. in Aurora, former home of Latta’s Bagel. The eatery serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week. Menu highlights include stuffed French Toast, Lox Benedict, Homemade Corned Beef Hash, Buckwheat Crepes, Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits with chorizo gravy, and a Reuben sandwich with apple kraut. … Top That! Pizza is open at 24100 E. Commons Ave in the Southlands Mall. The chain offers build-your-own-pizzas that are then baked and served at the table … Pho Cafe Asian Cuisine is open at 12405 E. Mississippi Ave. in Aurora serving Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine including pho, grilled rice platters and noodle dishes. … Coming soon: True Food Kitchen, 2800 E. Second Ave. in Cherry Creek North dishing healthy, anti-inflammatory fare inspired by Dr. Andrew Weil. … Sweet Dream, a frozen yogurt and waffle shop, closed recently at 2680 S. Havana St. … Happy 33rd birthday to Boulder Beer, Colorado’s first microbrewery. Hey kids: Can you imagine a time about 34 years ago when the only brewery in our vicinity was Coors in Golden?
HAVING A PIE TIME
As a person of the pie persuasion, I was thrilled to witness the opening of a new bakery devoted strictly to pie. Just in time for Thanksgiving, the cozy Humble Pie Store opened Oct. 20 at 300 Elati St. selling an array of freshly baked sweet and savory pies. The building in Denver’s Historic Baker District has long been home to various neighborhood markets. The puff pastry-crowned Beef Short Rib Pie is an extraordinary treat filled with silky, shredded slow braised beef, potatoes, carrots and onions in a light gravy with a hint of wine. Another winner is Farmer Dave’s Famous Buttermilk Banana Cream Pie set in a buttery-chewy crust made with house-baked graham crackers. For their organic pumpkin and other fruit pies the bakery uses a fine butter-based crust.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Food is inherently linked to some of our most pressing issues today: the environment, our health, the economy, even conflicts. Making food a part of our global discussion isn’t an option, it’s a necessity.” — Anna Brones, Huffington Post
John Lehndorff is the editor of Colorado Table which appears in the Aurora Sentinel, Buckley Guardian and Life Science newspapers and web sites: aurorasentinel.com/colorado-table. Send pressing cooking or dining questions to: jlehndorff@aurorasentinel.com. For regular updates, “like” the Nibbles Facebook page. Radio Nibbles airs 8:25 a.m. Thursdays on KGNU (88.5 FM, 1390 AM, and kgnu.org).
Was just at the French press, although the name says bakery, it actually applies to their first location in Lakewood where their pastry chef resides. I had the veggie bennies (1 of the 4 Benedict variations they do) and was very impressed, pretty cozy place with good organic coffee and great food but not a full blown bakery.