Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Licorice
Things a person misses from home come as a surprise to those of us living overseas. It's not always the big ticket items either. For example, I was talking to a fellow expat at a hotel in London, and her cousin asked her to bring Kraft Dinner (Macaroni and Cheese dinner for all those Americans reading this) because he couldn't get it in London (actually a friend of mine found a store that sells stuff from Canada, the U.S. and Australia so there may be Kraft Dinner there afterall). The irony is that I can get it in India for some bizarre reason. Go figure. Anyway, in conversations I have with others it's funny things like KD that get to us. Licorice is another. Not all countries have the same kind of licorice, or what passes for licorice in that place. Back home Twizzlers - red and black - are the kind of licorice I'm used to and will go a little nuts over when I'm home. That and Dairy Queen anything. Nor is junk food like KFC or McDonald's the same everywhere. Here, they like lots of hot spices well integrated into their chicken at KFC, so when you think you are getting a regular KFC, you'll find out not all chicken is created equal. Nor is McDonald's. The McD's in England is not the same as the McD's in the Middle East, or India, or Asia, or even Central and South America, though one would expect it to be pretty consistent. The only thing consistent is that it still all tastes like cardboard - good cardboard if you have any cravings at all, but cardboard none the less. Beef burgers might be on one countries menu, but not on another and you can be pretty sure that in countries where pigs are considered a major no-no that there will be no ham and eggers of any kind. Candy is another item that isn't the same everywhere and much of the candy served in many parts of the world (or what that place considers to be candy) is not anywhere close to what I consider candy (not that it's bad, just that I have preconceived notions of what constitutes candy). True, some companies have their products everywhere and those are pretty consistent if they are imported. Toblerone, Cadbury's and Neilson's chocolates are the same no matter where you buy them, but other candies aren't so fortunate. It becomes a bit of a guessing game and definitely an adventure for jaded tastebuds - not always pleasant, but certainly a challenge. Sigh. Back to food again. Until next time.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Food
"Food, Glorious food, wonderful food". This comes from a musical that the elementary school I attended many, many, many years ago (well, it was a long time ago) put on. It was a version of Hansel and Gretel. So what made me think about it now? Well, I confess, I was watching Julia & Julie and of course it's about food. That, combined with the fact that I have to think up something for supper, got me thinking about food. All of the really great conversations I have with friends and family revolve around food. If we aren't eating, we're at least in the kitchen talking, and preparing something to eat. Conversations with friends and family that aren't even near each other (I skype with my sister often as we are on different sides of the planet) somehow turn to food. Before the winter break I had people I work with over, and I made dishes that my sons and I used to eat at that time of year. I spent time explaining the dishes and why I made them. It added a different flavour (so to speak) to the gathering and made it seem more 'homie' - not to be confused with the slang term.
Growing up, the best memories I have are all connected to food and the kitchen. We would spend days preparing for friends and family to come by Christmas eve and for breakfast and supper Christmas day. When we were little, my sister and I were put to work doing simple things. As we got older, we were given more complex tasks, like slicing and dicing without including any of ourselves in the effort. Our grandmothers would come over and there would be much baking and sauteing and saucing and - well you get the picture. There was also a lot of laughter and chatter that made it all seem like fun, even though it was really a lot of work. Not only did we all get involved in food preparation, but we also polished silverware (no wonder I have a distinct dislike for fancy silver tea services) which was truly a task and one I personally am glad I no longer do - or ever did as an adult, for that matter. I can still remember the slimy feel of the purplish-blue silverpolish and how we had to get every little swirly knob and decorative froof absolutely spotless. A lot of work for something no-one seemed to really pay any attention to. When Christmas eve came, the table was stretched to its maximum length, the silencer (not the kind you put on a gun - the cloth that went on first - though why it was called that I have no idea), then the table cloth and often a lacy one on top of that (though why we didn't just put a plastic table cloth on instead is beyond me - would have saved all the stain remover and laundry soap mom had to use to get the barbeque sauce and mustard stains out). No matter, that's what was done. Then the best china was washed and dried by hand (this is pre-dishwasher we're talking here), and set out along with all the silver knives, forks, spoons, serving utensils and teaspoons. Finally, came the food. Salads (at least three kinds), cold cuts of meat, cheeses, mini sausages cooked in barbeque sauce (hence the stains), caseroles (at least two), home made buns, butter, and of course - dessert (my personal favourite). Friends would come, visit, eat, visit, leave, until usually quite late at night. There were a few families that ours hung out with once a month, and each family would take turns hosting. This, of course, involved the kids playing someplace in the house while the adults visited in another and the moms and dads taking turns supervising. Naturally, food was involved. Lots of food. All kinds of food, and we all ate, and ate, and ate (what else can you do with food really?).
Now it's tea or coffee and whatever is at hand (cake, cookies, cinnamon buns ...) and friends or family and sometimes both friends and family. Gone are the days of the big feasts, and I can't say I'm sorry. It's much nicer to have a slice of cake and a cup of tea with great conversation than cooking till you drop and then are too tired to eat anyway. No matter. Food is still glorious food and conversation is still great conversation - as long as it's in the kitchen (or an equivalent) and shared with good friends. Now, I have to go poach an egg.
Growing up, the best memories I have are all connected to food and the kitchen. We would spend days preparing for friends and family to come by Christmas eve and for breakfast and supper Christmas day. When we were little, my sister and I were put to work doing simple things. As we got older, we were given more complex tasks, like slicing and dicing without including any of ourselves in the effort. Our grandmothers would come over and there would be much baking and sauteing and saucing and - well you get the picture. There was also a lot of laughter and chatter that made it all seem like fun, even though it was really a lot of work. Not only did we all get involved in food preparation, but we also polished silverware (no wonder I have a distinct dislike for fancy silver tea services) which was truly a task and one I personally am glad I no longer do - or ever did as an adult, for that matter. I can still remember the slimy feel of the purplish-blue silverpolish and how we had to get every little swirly knob and decorative froof absolutely spotless. A lot of work for something no-one seemed to really pay any attention to. When Christmas eve came, the table was stretched to its maximum length, the silencer (not the kind you put on a gun - the cloth that went on first - though why it was called that I have no idea), then the table cloth and often a lacy one on top of that (though why we didn't just put a plastic table cloth on instead is beyond me - would have saved all the stain remover and laundry soap mom had to use to get the barbeque sauce and mustard stains out). No matter, that's what was done. Then the best china was washed and dried by hand (this is pre-dishwasher we're talking here), and set out along with all the silver knives, forks, spoons, serving utensils and teaspoons. Finally, came the food. Salads (at least three kinds), cold cuts of meat, cheeses, mini sausages cooked in barbeque sauce (hence the stains), caseroles (at least two), home made buns, butter, and of course - dessert (my personal favourite). Friends would come, visit, eat, visit, leave, until usually quite late at night. There were a few families that ours hung out with once a month, and each family would take turns hosting. This, of course, involved the kids playing someplace in the house while the adults visited in another and the moms and dads taking turns supervising. Naturally, food was involved. Lots of food. All kinds of food, and we all ate, and ate, and ate (what else can you do with food really?).
Now it's tea or coffee and whatever is at hand (cake, cookies, cinnamon buns ...) and friends or family and sometimes both friends and family. Gone are the days of the big feasts, and I can't say I'm sorry. It's much nicer to have a slice of cake and a cup of tea with great conversation than cooking till you drop and then are too tired to eat anyway. No matter. Food is still glorious food and conversation is still great conversation - as long as it's in the kitchen (or an equivalent) and shared with good friends. Now, I have to go poach an egg.
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