My Dad shared a story...

[chubbyalaskagriz]

Over the weekend my Dad shared a story at a gathering we had on my sister's patio. In the cool night air as we ate s'mores that the kids were making in the fire-pit, Dad reminisced a bit about his younger years.

He remembered that pork chops, green beans and tomatoes w/ gravy was the last meal he ever ate with his father before grandpa passed away.

He remembered that he and his Mom ate McDonald’s filet o’ fish sandwiches they day she moved into the nursing home after grandpa passed.

He remembered that he and my Mom were eating cold fried chicken, okra and rice late at night the moment Mom went into labor with my little sister, and that Mom was finishing her drumstick as they gathered her things and headed out to the car to make their way to the hospital!

In my own life, I recall that milk duds & popcorn was the first “meal” I shared with the person who was to become my mate for 11 years.

I remember that a sweet, gooey Cinn-a-bon and some TCBY butter-pecan frozen yogurt was the last meal we shared together as we parted at the airport for good- he going his way- me going mine.

What are some meals you clearly remember at important times in your life? Not necessarily because of the meal itself, but because of the gravity of the moment?

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Okay Kevin you just had to ask..............

Eddie took an interest in "Lil ole me" and was trying his best to get me interested & so he cooked some Chicken Parmesan and then called to me from his back deck (our apt's back doors faced each other across the court yard) to see if I could help him out, I said "Sure what ya' need?" he explained that he had a cold and could not taste his sauce he needed someone to help him and see if the seasoning was right. Well he could not have "snagged me" in any better way!!! I tasted the sauce (delicious by the way) gave my approval, got invited to bring my yungin' along and come have dinner at his place. And that is my "most memorable" dinner to date!!! That man is so smart I tell you, I never gave him the time of day until he mentioned food!!! LOL Sure glad he did

[KYHeirloomer]

When Friend Wife and I were first dating I'd decided to do a surprise birthday party for her.

Gameplan was that we'd go out with another couple, have dinner somewhere, and take in a Broadway show. At the end of the meal I'd "discover" that I'd left my wallet, along with the theater tickets, at her place.

So we go to this place off Times Square, not really caring because dinner was just a ruse. Should have known, though. When you go upstairs to a Chinese restaurant, something is bad wrong.

Y'all every had Chinese in which the noodles were, literally, burned? That's the kind of meal it was. Memorable? You betcha!

But the party was grand.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

You're just plain sneaky KYH!!!

I'll bet she loved it too!!!

[Jafo232]

My wife always said she married me for my lasagna..

I do remember sipping my Grandfathers dandelion wine and wasn't supposed to tell anyone.. Well Grandpa, I think enough time has gone by..

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Jafo please tell me how was dandelion wine? My Nanny made homemade wine also, it was wonderful, and did it ever have a kick!!!

[chubbyalaskagriz]

Great tales, all!

Funny how food often plays a role in the traps we bait for romance! And Cathy and Brook- as you both point out, sometimes we're the windshield- sometimes we're the bug! For Cathy was coaxed by her man's food- while Brook was the coaxer in his situation!

Jafo- funny you should mention dandelion wine... I've never tasted it- nor been familiar with how it's made... but just last night I read the chapter in Edna Lewis' classic cookbook "A Taste of Country Cooking" where she speaks of sorting thru and finding a gallon of "spider-free" dandelion blossoms, placing in a five-gallon crock and adding the boiling water... doing the waitiing thing- adding the sugar syrup, the yeast, waiting yet again, etc... She claims a dendelion wine done right tastes like a mild Drambuie... interesting!

[Jafo232]

Jafo please tell me how was dandelion wine? My Nanny made homemade wine also, it was wonderful, and did it ever have a kick!!!

Well, let's see, I think I was about 9 years old.. After about 30 years, I have forgotten. If I remember right, I was not too crazy about it..