noun
1 the distinctive quality of a particular food or drink as perceived by the taste buds and the sense of smell.
Memory is triggered by so many things -- sound, sight, smell, and flavor. How many of our memories are enhanced by flavor? My husband always photographs our meals on vacation, and it is remarkable how quickly the memories come back as we relive the food we consumed.
My childhood is alive with flavors. I grew up in the south where food ranks only second to religion. Sundays were defined by flannel boards in Sunday school; my daddy preaching from the pulpit; hymns, and maybe a baptism. But the highlight of the day was food. Were we eating at home? Was there a church covered dish dinner? Were we eating at a church member's home? Or maybe with my grandparents?
The flavors of my childhood are replete with fried chicken, biscuits, buttered corn, and green beans cooked with fatback until they are falling apart amid the swirls of fat. The salty crunch of the fried chicken leg as I bit into. The memory of it can still send me into paroxysms of ecstasy. Fluffy, lard based biscuits slathered with butter and homemade preserves. I could eat my weight in my great grandmother's biscuits.
On my mother's side of the family, it was always thin sliced ham that my great aunt had prepared. And Nana rolls. Tiny little yeast rolls ladened with butter. I think one holiday I ate 18 in one sitting!
Covered dish dinners were a pantheon of options! More fried chicken to be sure, but barbecue and macaroni and cheese (which is a vegetable in the south, thank you very much) as well. Desserts that would make your jaw hurt just to look at them. Chess pie! My favorite. The way the sugar and butter have blended together and been layered into that flaky, light pastry. It was a thing a of beauty as it dissolved into my mouth with hints of every flavor available on my tongue for just a moment before it slid down my throat leaving my mouth begging for more.
It's funny now, but we never went out to eat back then. I know some of it was money, but I think it was more about people and food. The two went hand in hand. I have often heard it said that sharing a meal is the most intimate of experiences. I think of the film Babette's Feast, and the scene in Chocolat where they all gather for Armande's birthday dinner. I think of Christ's last supper with His disciples and the memorial of communion we observe today.
I had a therapist tell me once that he had clients who could only talk to him if they all ate together. What is it about eating and food and flavor that ties us together?
What I wouldn't give to taste a Nana roll again.
link up at Write on Edge and imperfect prose on Thursdays
"grew up in the south where food ranks only second to religion." So true! I grew up in the Midwest, but my Mom was a native of Kentucky who made us all kinds of southern dishes. Now, I make some of them, and now, I live in the South. Strange the circles of life.
ReplyDeleteThis was beautiful. I am now living in the South and recognize all the things you speak of here. Most of them I don't eat ... ;) But I hope my daughter will know, as an adult, what the foods are like. I have my own food and flavor memories, I think we all do. I love that you shared these with us!
ReplyDelete'My childhood is alive with flavors. I grew up in the south where food ranks only second to religion.' This was a lovely positive descriptive piece that brought us all together to share in the memories and tastes. :)
ReplyDeleteYum...I think iwant a Nana roll now too :)
ReplyDeleteWARNING! Do not read this post if you haven't eaten recently. It WILL drive both you and your stomach insane:~)
ReplyDeleteAs I come from the South, my mouth was watering as I read each word of this writing. YUM. The crunch of fried chicken, mac and cheese casseroles.
What I really enjoyed about this writing is how you drew me into the experience of sharing food and triggered my own memories of similar meals. Thanks for sharing this:~)
geez now I am hungry. and I want to visit the South.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are right so many of my memories are centered around food- no, meals with family.
Enjoyed this immensely
great post! such a sweet memory of childhood, that makes me crave biscuits and that really tasty white gravy to scrape up with them... mmmm.
ReplyDeletefood def gives us comfort...and in that sometimes makes it easier to talk...also the symbolism of inviting someone to eat opens the door to a more intimate moment..
ReplyDeleteoh this post is soooo familiar! i, too, grew up pastor's child in the South where we wondered what we'd eat that day. and our "nana rolls" were called company biscuits and i loved them. and it really is true how food brings us together.
ReplyDeletewow, i love how you described this food. i could taste it. and i hadn't realized your father was a pastor... that must make the hardships from your past so much harder... i wish i could hug you. e.
ReplyDeleteps. my daddy is a preacher-man too.
ReplyDelete