![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Food Memories
Feb. 7th, 2006 11:39 amI started compiling a "Family History Cook Book" when I realised that most of the stories my father tells of his childhood involve food. His mother died when he was 14, and he still misses her. He remembers the food she cooked him, and these memories are a comfort to him. He spent five years in a camp in Siberia, where food was scarce, as it was during the war in most places. One time the mayor's son gave Dad a bite of rye bread spread with butter, and Dad still remembers that.
So I began asking my family; what food do you remember from childhood? Does the food evoke memories? It does for me; the crust on my Nana's tuna casserole, and all the cousins fighting for the biggest bit of it. And food I didn't eat, because we didn't have red meat as kids; the smell of the pot roast cooking when we visited my Nana's house. It became a history project, and a real indicator of our lives as children. My mother's memories are of food made to stretch to eight people with one small income; white bread and jam, that sort of thing. Once, a lemon tart, made with donated lemons, probably. My partner's memories are Australian suburbia; roast dinner, trifle. My sister and I have food memories inspired by our mother's interest in Eastern religion; indian food, curries. My Nigerian-american brother-in-law remembers mostly suburban american fare; baked pasta, lots of creamy cheesy things.
This is one of my favourite desserts as a child:
Pineapple flambe
This was a special occasion dish, once we were a little older and could cope with the flames! Very exciting. My Auntie Barbara still has the scar from when she burnt her lip on a hot fork.
Ingredients:
One whole pineapple
An empty condensed milk tin
Methylated spirits
Cut up bits of fruit
Thick cream
Brandy
Sugar
Method:
Slice the top and bottom off the pineapple and remove all the fruit from the centre, leaving the sides.
Cut up the pineapple fruit.
3.Pour metho into the tin and place this inside the pineapple.
4.Set it alight! Using fondue forks, spear a piece of fruit, dip it in brandy and sugar, then cook it over the flame. Once the fruit has caramelised, dip it into the cream and eat!
What childhood food brings back memories to you?
Kaaron
So I began asking my family; what food do you remember from childhood? Does the food evoke memories? It does for me; the crust on my Nana's tuna casserole, and all the cousins fighting for the biggest bit of it. And food I didn't eat, because we didn't have red meat as kids; the smell of the pot roast cooking when we visited my Nana's house. It became a history project, and a real indicator of our lives as children. My mother's memories are of food made to stretch to eight people with one small income; white bread and jam, that sort of thing. Once, a lemon tart, made with donated lemons, probably. My partner's memories are Australian suburbia; roast dinner, trifle. My sister and I have food memories inspired by our mother's interest in Eastern religion; indian food, curries. My Nigerian-american brother-in-law remembers mostly suburban american fare; baked pasta, lots of creamy cheesy things.
This is one of my favourite desserts as a child:
Pineapple flambe
This was a special occasion dish, once we were a little older and could cope with the flames! Very exciting. My Auntie Barbara still has the scar from when she burnt her lip on a hot fork.
Ingredients:
One whole pineapple
An empty condensed milk tin
Methylated spirits
Cut up bits of fruit
Thick cream
Brandy
Sugar
Method:
Slice the top and bottom off the pineapple and remove all the fruit from the centre, leaving the sides.
Cut up the pineapple fruit.
3.Pour metho into the tin and place this inside the pineapple.
4.Set it alight! Using fondue forks, spear a piece of fruit, dip it in brandy and sugar, then cook it over the flame. Once the fruit has caramelised, dip it into the cream and eat!
What childhood food brings back memories to you?
Kaaron