April poetry month again

Here's my first April poem though I don't promise a poem a day like last year. My Friday Prompt writing group suggested we write about seasonings. Old Bay more than covers it. Plus, if you look carefully, you'll find a great recipe.



Old Bay


One morning minding my own business
on the stair stepper
the guy stepping next to me started to tell me
about the marvelous meat loaf he made
for dinner the night before.
Marvelous is not the way
I’d ever describe meatloaf
but since I’ve always liked it
I asked the question he was waiting to hear,
“How do you make your meatloaf?”
“Well,” he said, as he slowed down his step speed,
“I take two pounds of ground meat and mix it up
with an egg, two pieces of torn sour dough bread,
1 jar of salsa, salt and pepper, and lots of Old Bay.
Then put it in a loaf pan and bake for 1 hour at 375.
That’s it.”
Well, I was intrigued
and unbelievably kept the recipe in my head
through my entire workout
until I got to the store.
I bought the ground meat, the salsa,
the bread – no I had the bread at home.
The only thing that stumped me was the Old Bay.
I had never heard of it, let alone use it.
But, sure enough I found it with the herbs and spices.
I just now googled it to find out its ingredients,
and it turns out Old Bay is quite an institution
in the seafood world.
It’s been around for 70 years.
So, in case you’re wondering,
Old Bay is mix of:
salt, celery seeds, mustard,
red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves,
cloves, pimento, ginger, mace, cardamom,
cinnamon, and paprika.

And boy did it punch up that meat loaf !