My History In Food/Draft

Throughout time food has been one of the basic necessities of life. Man has used food to not only give himself sustenance but to also receive comfort. Let’s face it a stomach feels much more comfortable full rather than empty. From the first discovery of fire to the modern microwave food has been prepared to satisfy our tastes and even our desires. Food has been linked to memories, euphoria and some say even to sex. Food plays not only important roles in our daily live but also in our history and even family histories. Many generations of families have revolved around foods native to their specific regions. This is exampled by fish and rice are main staples to many Asian countries. Seafood is a main industry of export on the coastal regions. Beef is a prime source of meat to many mid-western and western states. History has even been recorded using food as a reference point, for example, the great potato famine of Ireland. But most importantly, food has its own history in our own lives.

My own history of food began with a warm bottle of milk. Don’t ask if I remember it, but I can only imagine the comfort and solace it may have evoked. My own history with food can be broken down to three categories; “The Mom Foods”, “The Trauma Foods” and the “Comfort Foods”.

The Mom Foods

My mother raised two boys by herself and, in my eyes, could do no wrong. She was, and still is, a great mother, a best friend and a great cook. My brother and I had never wanted for anything. My family, a non-traditional German Irish family with a strong southern and mid-western influence believed heavily in the concept of family time in the kitchen. My mother’s history, as well as our family’s history was most evident in her cooking.

Because my mother did raise two boys alone she had very little time to spend in the kitchen. Many of our meals were single dish creations that she made on the fly. I, like my brother, were expected to do a great deal around the house to help out. It wasn’t long before I was expected to help with the cooking. I began my lessons at cooking at the tender age of five where my first meal served to the family was a bowl of cereal and toast. I burnt the toast. I was so proud of that first meal that I refused to eat until everyone else had, including the toast. But despair not, that first attempt at toast prompted me to become the best French toast maker in the house. My secret was my mother’s advice to me, “A good recipe is no recipe at all. A good cook can cook with intuition, inventiveness and taste.

My mother’s history with cooking came from her own childhood where she was raised during the Great Depression. Because my mother’s family had been so poor she had learned habits that carried into her adult life. She had learned at a very early age that a person must use what they have and all that they have. Waste was not an option for my mother. Cooking from the fridge meant that you would use whatever leftovers that were in the fridge and figure out a meal to make. Leftovers were a main staple in our house and stews and soups were quite common for a night’s meal. She by no means skimped on the food we ate, in fact, if anything, we ate too much. I remember well all the meals made with hamburger, the ham dinners which later became ham bone stew. Leftover potato would become hash browns for the next morning’s breakfast. Noodle dishes had a great appeal for me because of all the great sauces she would make but she didn’t forget to put in the leftover vegetables. She could make a meal to feed an army on a dime and generally did.

The Trauma Foods

As great as my mother is she was not always the best at everything. As I said before, she was very busy running a household and many times her idea of dinner was pot roast in a slow cooker. While this can be a time saver it can, in my opinion, lead to some very over cooked meat. I still can’t eat a roast unless I cook it myself. Also because of her frugalness with her cooking and our German heritage, I was also subjected to many meals of cabbage and rice with bacon. For me it was the texture I could not stand but my mother and my brother loved it so much that we had it at least once a month. I was so much like so many other kids my age and hated my vegetables, but lima beans and brussle sprouts had to be the worst.

I remember one time when I went to my father’s house for a weekend and my step-mother had made liver for dinner. It was my first experience with liver. I had always been taught to try anything once and I was certain I was going to hate it; however I was compelled to taste it. If nothing else, I had to know what it was that I was going to hate. After taking my first bite I was ready to spit it out but then my taste buds kicked in and the taste of the liver mixed with the sautéed onions was far too compelling and I swallowed instead. This had just become my new favorite food. I went home and told my mother what I had learned and asked her to make liver and onions for me. My mistake. Mother, as with most beef meats, overcooked it. Now when I think of liver and onions I can still taste the chewy and gritty piece of leather.

The Comfort Foods

Comfort food has got to be the most satisfying of all foods. It not only calms and relaxes me but can bring back memories of my childhood. Now that I am grown I can choose my own foods. I find that I often return to my mother’s old favorites like spaghetti or perhaps her goulash dripping with a creamy cheese and tomato sauce. I also have incorporated many of the foods that I have discovered through eating out at restaurants like burritos and chili rellenos. I like to share my chili relleno recipe with you, but please remember that a good cook has no recipe at all. This means have fun with it. Experiment, add ingredients or take some away. The only one who knows what tastes good is you.

Chili Rellenos

2 roasted and peeled chili’s per person

1 package egg roll wrappers

1 pound pepper jack cheese

1 egg (whipped)

1 jar of your favorite green chili

Place one chili on an eggroll wrapper and top with a generous portion of cheese. Brush all edges

of the egg roll wrapper with the egg. Fold the wrapper into an envelope and close it. The egg will keep

the wrapper from opening during cooking. Repeat for all that you need. Heat a generous amount of oil

in a fry pan or deep fryer. Place your rolls into the oil and cook until golden brown and crisp. Serve

topped with your green chili.

This is my favorite comfort food and I serve it with rice and refried beans as well. My family

loves it and I hope you do too.