Why do we need a recipe for a successful quarantine?

Simple, so far things have been a little dicey.  On the whole, I do not think we are doing a very good job with the coronavirus quarantine . Food and toilet paper hoarding, frustrations are higher than usual, and this morning in the Niskayuna Coop, the police were called. Yes, from the cheap seats, we need a little direction and a recipe is a good place to start.

This is not our first recipe attempt at Pasta on the Floor. I have written some tongue in cheek recipes in the past such as in 2017, we did Recipe for a college student’s mom,  Recipe for… and in 2019, Recipe for a gym.

I am not a recipe fan; hence I love to cook more than bake. Cooking is creative and free flowing, no recipe required. Baking is more stringent, disciplined measuring required, and focus is 100% mandatory. In 2017, I wrote,

“Pastaonthefloor has no political point of view yet we are surrounded these days with politics. “Pasta” is here for fun and entertainment and is truly a cathartic nonpartisan release for me, the author. That being said, I think I am very liberal in my cooking when it comes to adding cheese, chocolate, or butter. I am ultra conservative with beets and liver and independently neutral with celery, fennel and kale.” ?

So, together we are going to create a recipe for a successful quarantine.

What you need:

• 1 cup of patience
• ½ cup of ingenuity to make do
• 1 tsp of trust that the efforts will pay off
• 1 ounce of prevention, season to taste by adding a little more if needed
• 2 cups of goodwill
• 4 handfuls of things to do with family or pets
• Freshly picked good thoughts added to good deeds
• 2 tablespoons of good humor (weeks without hair color and manicures could adversely impinge on this ingredient)

Suggested add-ins:

• 1 gallon of tears
• A bucket of laughter looking through old photos
• 14 trips to the supermarket for elderly family and friends
• A freshly washed blanket to cuddle your partner, pets, and kids
• An electronic device with FaceTime, Zoom meeting or Skype

What to do:

Mix the first 4 ingredients together, gently. Step back and review your work. If you need more of any one ingredient, feel free to add it. This is, after all, your recipe.

Now, remove all vanity and sharp objects from the cooking area.

In a separate mixing bowl, add the remaining four ingredients. Review your handiwork. You should have:

1. A mixture of items to prepare you for quarantine.
2. A mixture of thoughts and deeds while you are quarantined.

I hope this recipe culminates in a successful quarantine. I neglected to add that each of us brings a different set of circumstances to the kitchen- and we need to accept and respect that difference.

Let’s be sure we finish off the recipe with kindness, compassion, and love.

Please do not hoard food and supplies. Share with your neighbors and this recipe will continue to flourish, mature, and be more satisfying as the days pass. Remember, your recipe is feeding the whole human race.

buon appetito