– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young – - Don’t hold the gravy on my account

– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young –

One of my very favorite lines in Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove, is when the emperorturned- llama, Kuzco, and his former adviser/ villain trying kill him, Yzma, are in the kitchen, ordering food, each unbeknownst to the other. Out in the restaurant, Yzma had complained that everything on the menu was swimming in gravy, so she wanted the cook to make something else.

Her henchman, Kronk, the lovable oaf who got pulled into her scheme to off Kuzco, ended up taking the chef’s place and while Yzma was less than pleased he couldn’t leave, because orders were piling in, decided there were some perks to having her lackey do the cooking. As long as Kronk was in charge of the kitchen, she went ahead and told him to make her the special.

And hold the gravy!

The whole sequence of that pit stop has the tears rolling down my cheeks when I watch it, I’m laughing that hard. But, I in no way agree about the gravy. Gravy makes me very happy.

That’s why I was horrified some months ago, when my friend’s/coworker’s adorable little boy, broke the news to me. We were playing Play-Doh, when all at once, out of nowhere, he stopped what he was doing, looked up at me and said, “You know, I’m just not weally feelwing gwavy.”

After I got through laughing at how cute the statement was, I think I passed out for a while or at least dislocated my jaw when it dropped to the floor. How could he not like gravy? Was it just a phase?

Nope, he still doesn’t like it. I don’t get it, gravy is like bacon and cheese, it just makes other foods worth eating.

I can taste gravy as we speak. Chicken gravy, made in the grease after frying chicken, with flour and milk – YUM! Yeah, yeah, I know it’s not good for me, but it sure tastes good and French fries dipped in the gravy are amazing.

Then there’s brown ham gravy, made when you fry lovely, salty ham, then add flour and milk to the drippings in the pan. That is the only way I’ll eat mashed potatoes, if they’re covered in gravy and the ham gravy is not bad on bread, although I prefer pork chop gravy over bread.

My turkey gravy is to die for and so good with cold turkey thrown in, then poured over mashed potatoes. It’s too bad fixing turkey breasts takes so long, because the colder it gets, the more that sounds incredibly good.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t add the deep, rich, brown gravy over roast beef sandwiches and mashed potatoes. Oh yeah, I could go for some of that. Again, that takes quite a bit of time to prepare, with a good roast taking three hours to cook, in order to get both the shredded beef and the broth to make the gravy.

In a pinch, jarred chicken gravy from a store isn’t bad, as are the packet mixes, but they don’t compare to the homemade versions. Beggars can’t be choosers when you’re short on time, however.

No matter what, gravy is a must for a complete meal, as far as I’m concerned. So, sorry, Warren, but I am feelwing the gwavy!