Thursday, November 4, 2010

Favorite Food Memories

While listening to the radio this morning on my way in to work, I heard a food writer talking about favorite food memories. And how more often than not the memory is tied to the people involved in that memory just as much as the food is. It’s not often that your favorite food memory will involve a great sandwich that you ate alone while standing over the sink.

In yesterday’s random post I mentioned that I spend quite a bit of time thinking about food. Not sure where that comes from. I just really enjoy my food.

I don’t love to cook. I can cook and I enjoy it sometimes. Especially when I’m making something new or making something for someone else. To me, cooking for someone, providing sustenance, is a way to show love. Which is why I don’t cook for every single man I meet. But if I do break out the pots and pans, baby, you are special.

My favorite food memories are all tied to my family. My favorite dish growing up was my Dad’s spaghetti.

Nothing special about it. But it was his and I loved it. Today, my son loves my spaghetti and meatballs. Back in the day, my mother taught me how to fry chicken and it is still one of my favorite things to make.

I don’t do it quite as often because I’m trying to lay off the fried foods, but still. My all time favorite food memory is Thanksgiving dinners at home. Oh my goodness!

There is nothing better than the smell of turkey and dressing when you wake up on Thanksgiving morning. It’s because of those memories that Thanksgiving remains my favorite holiday.

I have a few favorite food memories from restaurants. My most favorite has got to be dinner at Zoe’s.

You can read about that experience here

From the moment we hit the door I knew that evening was going to be special: Virginia figs with maytag bleu cheese and a lavender drizzle, spinach and tomato stack topped with fried goat cheese, drunken mussels, shrimp tempura, filet mignon, lemon tilefish, blue crab mac-n-cheese, chocolate soufflé and several bottles of wine. The food and the atmosphere combined with the company made this one of my favorite food memories.

What about you? Any favorite food memories to share?

4 comments:

Remnants of U said...

I have clips of food memories as a child, mostly of gumbo & creole food when we visited my father's family.

But as a child I didn't like soo many things that I remember sitting at the table after everyone was finished eating, because I didn't clean my plate.

As an adult I have discovered so many foods and enjoy eating & have the desire to visit certain cities because of a food or restaurant. Good food is a great way to connect with people for me.

LadyLee said...

Good grief, Chele, you just made an Oldgirl HUNGRY. I love Fried chicken and Fish, as it is what my grandmother and mother cooked so well. I don't get much of that at all these days, nor do I much desire to... Sigh. But you brought back some memories!!

Prairiemaid said...

I'm with you on the Thanksgiving thing. It is why favorite holiday and I love the smells of Thanksgiving dinner!

Blessings,
Cheryl

~Truly Tina~ said...

Oh my goodness, the meal you had at Zoë’s made me look at my plate of bland noodles and cup of tea and bow my head in shame. LOL. Despite my "sustenance-over-taste" meal tonight, I too really enjoy great food. Cuisine doesn't matter as long as flavor is present. Usually, the more ethnic the better. I traveled a lot in my youth and fell in love with various cultures around the world. Sharing a delicious meal is one of the best ways to connect with others and to learn of their traditions and cultures.

Traditional American and Southern holiday meals bring fond family memories to mind. To this day I still get excited and look forward to being in the kitchen with my mother to prepare holiday meals (well, any meal for that matter).

Certain recipe successes and failures remind me of fun times I had in a cooking club. LOL.

Oh geez, let me stop! I'm getting hungrier. These bland noodles aren't doing the trick. :)