Potato Pancakes土豆煎饼

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.

当我还是个男孩的时候，我們家没有多少钱。我穿的衣服大多数都是我两个哥哥的旧衣服。我读的书都又破又旧、书角卷起、满是污渍且书页发黄。我的玩具很少，只有在圣诞节或生日的时候才会收到。

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.

我和哥哥们竭尽所能帮助我们的父母。我在夏天做了一些饮料去卖。我的哥哥们周末为邻居打扫卫生。我每天早上帮朋友遛狗，放学后给他们辅导家庭作业。

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.

那确实有帮助，但只有一点点。很多东西我们都没有钱买。为了省钱，我们没有去商店买那么多食物。所以我们尽一切努力在家里种植自己的食物。我们养猪吃肉，还有四个大菜园。那样能让我们吃得更多更好。

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.

土豆是我们最重要的食物。这些花园中最大的那个用来种了土豆。一个人在花园里种完土豆是很困难的。我们家的每个人都很乐意帮忙种土豆。

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.

我记得在爸爸耕完地后，妈妈、哥哥们和我就过去种土豆。我们非常勤恳地劳作，全心全意地照料它们。所以每年我们都收获了大量的土豆。

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.

我们几乎每顿饭都吃土豆。它们非常美味。我们的朋友和邻居说我们家的土豆是他们吃过最好吃的。早餐有炸土豆，晚餐有鸡肉炖土豆，我的特色菜有慢煮土豆。土豆泥几乎可以和任何东西一起吃。

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.

我们家里从来没有浪费过什么东西。每当妈妈某天晚饭做了太多土豆泥，第二天我们就吃土豆煎饼。妈妈会把吃剩的土豆泥、鸡蛋、面粉和其他配料一起烹饪。我们全家会坐下来吃一桌美味的小煎饼。即使现在我也能尝到那种味道。

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.

妈妈教了我如何做土豆煎饼。我学得很快，但我从来没能做出同样的味道。我做的和她做的味道总是有点不同。也许她用了一种我不记得的配料，也许只是因为她在烹饪它们时加上了爱。它让她所有的饭菜都很香。

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.

每當我吃下一个土豆煎饼时，不仅肚子感到温暖，心里也感到很温暖。我多么想再和妈妈坐下来吃一顿饭，给她一个拥抱，告诉她我有多爱她。

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

祝你们每顿饭都有爱，一生都有爱。

Notes

1. hand-me-down. 传下来的东西；现成的廉价衣服

2. dog-eared . 书页；折角的

3. stained . 玷污的；着色的；沾了污渍的

4. raise . 饲养；种植

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 . 浪费

10. flour . 面粉

11. ingredient .尤指烹调用的；原料；配料

12. able . 能够；有能力的

13. flavor.给……调味

14. belly. 腹部；肚子；胃；胃口