FOOD, GLORIUS FOOD

 

 

FOOD, GLORIUS FOOD

Or

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Or

FOOD FIGHT!

 

Marcel Proust’s “A la Recherche du Temps Perdu” is a story of Proust’s life, recalling his childhood as an allegorical search for truth.

 

My recollections about my childhood eating habits are not allegorical – just my own remembrance of my food fetishes.

 

To say the least, I was a very fussy eater (still am), not eating much of anything except sweets (especially chocolate), toast and milk – a diet to die for!

 

 

My mother always encouraged me to eat by stating such clichés as “People in Europe are starving”, “You’ll sit at that table until you finish everything on your plate” and “I’m not going to throw perfectly good food away because of you”. My reply was always: “Don’t force me!”. Why she even siphoned the cream off the top of the milk bottle (yes, I am old enough to remember milk in bottles delivered to our door). I wouldn’t drink it any other way.

 

She took me to many doctors to diagnose my “eating problem” – to no avail. I just threatened to eat the doctors!

 

On drives, back to New York from the Midwest, I couldn’t wait until the first Howard Johnson came into view. There, I reveled in authentic New York chocolate ice cream – hmmm, a treat with no equal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I aged, I did start to partake of different foods like sushi, spaghetti, 1000-year-old eggs (China). My favorite is still sushi, accompanied by much Sake, of course.

 

But I am still a discerning eater. Certain foods that most others love just don’t light up my palate. Remember, an army travels on its belly, but I don’t. Anyway, I was in the Air Force.