Potato Pancakes土豆煎餅

Joseph J. Mazzella

When I was a boy we didnt have much. Most of the clothes I wore werehand -me -downs1 from my two brothers. The books I read were old， worn， anddog-eared2 with stained3， yellow pages. My toys were few and came only atChristmas or for my birthday.

當我還是個男孩的時候，我們家沒有多少錢。我穿的衣服大多數都是我兩個哥哥的舊衣服。我讀的書都又破又舊、書角卷起、滿是污漬且書頁發黃。我的玩具很少，只有在圣誕節或生日的時候才會收到。

My brothers and I did everything we could to help our parents. I made somedrinks and sold them in summer. My brothers did some cleaning for the neighbors onweekends. Every morning I took my friendsdogs for a walk and helped with theirhomework after school.

我和哥哥們竭盡所能幫助我們的父母。我在夏天做了一些飲料去賣。我的哥哥們周末為鄰居打掃衛生。我每天早上幫朋友遛狗，放學后給他們輔導家庭作業。

That did help but just a little. We didnt have money for many things. Wedidnt buy that much food at the stores to save money. So we did everything to raise4our food at home. We raised pigs for meat and had four big vegetable gardens. Thatwould make us eat more and better.

那確實有幫助，但只有一點點。很多東西我們都沒有錢買。為了省錢，我們沒有去商店買那么多食物。所以我們盡一切努力在家里種植自己的食物。我們養豬吃肉，還有四個大菜園。那樣能讓我們吃得更多更好。

Potato was the most important food for us. The largest of these gardens was usedto plant potatoes. It was difficult to finish planting in the garden by oneself. Everyonein my family was happy to help with planting potatoes.

土豆是我們最重要的食物。這些花園中最大的那個用來種了土豆。一個人在花園里種完土豆是很困難的。我們家的每個人都很樂意幫忙種土豆。

I remember my mom， brothers，and I went to plant potatoes after mydad had tilled5 the soil6. We workedvery hard and looked after them withall our hearts. So each year we had agreat number of potatoes.

我記得在爸爸耕完地后，媽媽、哥哥們和我就過去種土豆。我們非常勤懇地勞作，全心全意地照料它們。所以每年我們都收獲了大量的土豆。

We ate potatoes with almost every meal. They were very delicious. Our friendsand neighbors said our potatoes were the best they had ever eaten. There were fried7potatoes for breakfast， potatoes with chicken for dinner， potatoes slow cooked in myspecial. And mashed potato8 could be eaten with just about everything.

我們幾乎每頓飯都吃土豆。它們非常美味。我們的朋友和鄰居說我們家的土豆是他們吃過最好吃的。早餐有炸土豆，晚餐有雞肉燉土豆，我的特色菜有慢煮土豆。土豆泥幾乎可以和任何東西一起吃。

Nothing in our house ever went to waste9. Whenever Mom had made too muchmashed potato for dinner one day， the next day we had potato pancakes. Mom wouldcook the leftover mashed potato， eggs， flour10 and other ingredients11. We would allsit down to a table full of delicious little pancakes. I can still taste them even now.

我們家里從來沒有浪費過什么東西。每當媽媽某天晚飯做了太多土豆泥，第二天我們就吃土豆煎餅。媽媽會把吃剩的土豆泥、雞蛋、面粉和其他配料一起烹飪。我們全家會坐下來吃一桌美味的小煎餅。即使現在我也能嘗到那種味道。

Mom taught me how to make the potato pancakes. I learned it fast but I havenever been able12 to make those with the same taste. Mine always taste a littledifferent from hers. Maybe she used an ingredient that I dont remember or maybe itwas just the love with which she cooked them. Itflavored13 all her meals.

媽媽教了我如何做土豆煎餅。我學得很快，但我從來沒能做出同樣的味道。我做的和她做的味道總是有點不同。也許她用了一種我不記得的配料，也許只是因為她在烹飪它們時加上了愛。它讓她所有的飯菜都很香。

Each time I ate one I felt warm not just in my belly14， but in my heart as well.How I want to sit down to have just one more meal with Mom， give her a hug， andtell her how much I love her.

每當我吃下一個土豆煎餅時，不僅肚子感到溫暖，心里也感到很溫暖。我多么想再和媽媽坐下來吃一頓飯，給她一個擁抱，告訴她我有多愛她。

Wish you every meal with love and all your life with love.

祝你們每頓飯都有愛，一生都有愛。

Notes

1. hand-me-down. 傳下來的東西；現成的廉價衣服

2. dog-eared . 書頁；折角的

3. stained . 玷污的；著色的；沾了污漬的

4. raise . 飼養；種植

5. till . 耕作；犁地

6. soil . 泥土；土壤

7. fried . 油炸的

8. mashed potato 土豆泥

9. waste . 浪費

10. flour . 面粉

11. ingredient .尤指烹調用的；原料；配料

12. able . 能夠；有能力的

13. flavor.給……調味

14. belly. 腹部；肚子；胃；胃口