Do you remember?

Eating green peas in an avocado kitchen..


It's like a silent film reel, looping only a few seconds but I know it's my first real memory.  I'm sitting on a chair pulled up to the kitchen table, my chin just about level.  There's an over sized cartoon-like child's spoon in my right hand.  And I am watching intensely the wobbly peas heading towards my mouth.  To the left, at the head of the table is my foster father.  He's stripped off what was probably a blue collar shirt and is enjoying the meal in work trousers and a clean white vest.   Just a little blip and his head is thrown back with a silent whoop of laughter.  His teeth strong and straight and as white as his undershirt.


I don't know who he was or anyone else around the table.  I know there were others, it was a table for six.  What made him laugh, what made this memory stay with me over any others one can never be sure.  I just know it's me, my first self-aware moment, eating peas. In an avocado coloured kitchen.

I was born in one place, grew up in the "New World" and ironically now love in the "Old World", several time zones removed from where I started.  And at each place the memories I have seem to always come back to food.  What takes me to my birth place?  Coffee Crisp candy bars and little raisin butter tarts from Tim Hortons. 

My growing years?  Fresh made sweet italian sausages, unctuous mile-high slices of fresh made cream pie from any real diner, meatloaf with ketchup and mashed potatoes, fudgesicles, Bryer's ice cream (any flavour!), waiting in line out to the parking lot during lent for a fish fry from Davidson's - where it comes to you hanging off both ends of the platter. 

In the here and now?  Thai Chili Chicken in peanut sauce, roast joints of beast with amazing yorkshire puddings the size of a fist, brilliantly spiced and layered flavours of a true Indian Byrani, the passion of Antonio Carluccio and his love of Italian flavours found in every plate of his food, the buttery sugary crunch of a warm Welsh cake in the kitchen of my beloved in-laws in Merthyr Tydfil.  And there are hundreds more for all stages of my life I could tell you about.  In depth.  With step by step instructions.  And photo's probably...

I don't know if everyone has this strong of an ability to experience taste-memories out of nowhere.  I get the tickle of a flavour or an aroma and I'm instantly transported to a place or time from nowhere.   Not just the flavours get me, but I can be anywhere and suddenly I'm cooking something.  It's time to whip up a creamy cheese souffle or the perfect mushroom risotto - AND SUDDENLY, I'M DOING IT.  Step by step.  In my head. 

It isn't right really, is it?

But there you go, and so, if you need a tip or a recipe or a flavour profile, I'm your gal.  Not only can I answer questions, give menu suggestions and walk you through step by step, but I can introduce you to any number of cuisines to open your horizons and widen your repertoire and relationship with the wonderful world of food!