You Are What You Eat?

In my family almost everything centers on food; so much so that I find it hard to go to my parents’ house without going through the fridge, or looking through the cupboards for snacks. When someone’s birthday rolls around my Mom wants to know “What do you want me to cook?” and “What kind of cake do you want?” Not that this is a bad thing, unless you’re on a diet!

Some of my fondest and most vivid childhood memories are of meals at my Grandparent’s house. We’d have homemade fish and chip dinners, or homemade wontons, or just a good old fashioned barbeque. This tradition stuck with me; anytime someone walks into my house I feel the need to feed them! I get anxious if I can’t think of at least a snack to put out. “Do you want coffee? Are you hungry? Umm, I have yogurt…or chips….how about a banana? No? Are you sure? I can make muffins or something!” I know now how my Grandparents felt if a guest refused their offer of food; as if you’ve somehow failed them!

And then there are the memories of food related mishaps, like the time my Mom almost electrocuted herself by cutting the cord of the electric knife she was using to cut the Christmas ham. Nope, she’ll never live that one down! Then there was the Thanksgiving Day storm of 1983, when the power went out and we had to pack all of the partially cooked food up and take it to my Grandparents’ house to finish cooking it so we could eat. And although it’s not actually food, the memory of bottles of homemade wine exploding at my other Grandparents’ house always makes me smile. Red and purple stains on the walls and ceiling of their enclosed porch from wine bottles popping their corks; can’t help but giggle at the memory.

Food is the center of many a family tradition. There’s something comforting about sitting down to eat with people you care about. So if you come to visit me, please, have some yogurt, or a banana, or let me make you some muffins; it’s no trouble at all!