For the past few weeks I have been on a mission to make curried butternut squash soup. My passion to do this was launched when my friend, from India, brought me some that she had made.

After tasting it, I knew I would need to have more, but I didn’t want to ask her to keep making more so I decided to learn to make it myself.

This learning process has been grueling for me, but I am also sure that this mentor friend would have found it easier to make more herself than to answer my relentless questions regarding the recipe.

My first batch was a disappointment but not a game stopper. Having “failed” at my first attempt prompted an even greater passion to master the art of making this soup.

I’m proud to say that in addition to learning from my mistakes, I have watched you tube videos, researched the meaning of words that only cooks know, and persisted in texting my teacher/friend about such basic things as how do you split a butternut squash and still have ten fingers.

Well, to my delight, my second batch of curried butternut squash soup tasted as I had dreamed it would. Yes, I had made it myself. Yes, I liked it,

Now, the only other thing I needed was the approval of my teacher.

She came to see me today and before she could get her coat off, I had heated a small dish of this soup and shoved it toward her, asking for her opinion.

She wanted to know if I was wondering how close I had come to the recipe.

No, I said, I just want to know if you like it.

With the grace I have come to expect from this friend she said it was even better than the soup she, herself, made.

As I reflect on my day, it’s not so important to me that I followed the recipe and created a “by the book” product.

What I really wanted to know is if that my TEACHER liked it.