Memory bites

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Posted at 12:02PM, 30 June 2008 by Carol Wilson - food writer

Most people's earliest memories are connected with food. We tend to retain a sentimental fondness for the favourite foods of our childhood- and an often lasting dislike for the foods we loathed.

The flavours and aromas of foods we enjoyed as children are powerful reminders of those carefree days of growing up. The warm fragrance of fairy cakes baking takes me back to my early years, waiting impatiently for them to come out of the oven, followed by the interminable wait for the cakes to become cold - ready for me to 'help' coat the tops with soft sweet icing. A bowl of piping hot porridge calls to mind bitterly cold winter mornings and the happy anticipation of snow.

My granny made a fantastic Lancashire Hotpot with lamb, black pudding Black Pudding and kidneys. My sister has a distinct recollection of her favourite corned beef hash corned beef hash accompanied by sharp, vinegary beetroot and we both have fond memories of our dad's terrific home made soup, made with whatever meat bones he'd got from the butcher and home-grown vegetables. Sometimes he'd add several substantial, dumplings which expanded alarmingly over the pan as they simmered in the bubbling soup.

My Scottish auntie excelled at pastry, which really did melt in the mouth. The smell of her homemade apple pie fresh from the oven was sublime. The soft buttery apples had an elusive flavour - which years later I realised was due to a touch of mace and cinnamon. Her most legendary speciality though was Coconut tablet, a very sweet white sugary confection made to an old Scottish recipe. I've made it many times, but have never been able to get it quite the same.

Some foods are memorable because we couldn't stand them! Memories of a school dinner strip of grey leathery ox liver served with a mound of watery cabbage and lumpy mashed potatoes and teatime slices of deep red tongue, with its strange texture and shards of clear jelly still make me shudder!

Milestones in our lives, family events and celebrations are also inextricably bound with food memories. Birthday cake, usually a fluffy sponge, sandwiched with jam and buttercream smothered in thick icing; summer picnics of ham sandwiches with, Heinz salad cream, feather light scones fruit cocktail a big bowl of creamy trifle dotted with teeth-shattering silver balls and rich dark fruit cake. And of course the highlight of the year - Christmas dinner, the bird in all its crisp golden glory being carved at the table and the dark spicy fruitiness of Christmas pudding.

Food is certainly an important part of life. What are your childhood food memories?

Comments

Caroline

30 June, 3:52PM
Caroline

My early years were spent in Sweden and as a result I have a fondness for smoked cod roe paste, salami, pickled herring in mustard and salt liquorice...it's not my fault!

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James

30 June, 6:45PM
James

I had one of these reminiscences just an hour ago as I was picking a good 30 bramley apples up. The smell wafted up from the box and I was instantly transported back (like Ego in Ratatouille) to the apple tree in my grandparents house - she aways used to use windfalls because they were easy and wouldn't last long while I preferred to climb & pick the un-maggotty ones. The smell of real tomatoes does it too - which is the smell of their old greenhouse, and strawberries boiling on the stove for jam. Just so many strawberries and what to do - it's a nice place to be.....

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James

30 June, 6:53PM
James

In winter it'd be the smell of beef broth & the blackberries or gooseberries picked in summer then frozen defrosting on the gas boiler. A yorkshire gran's kitchen is a real kitchen. Happy days. At my mums house it woul probably be bread - the yeasty smell as it rose in the airing cupboard then the baking smell. You could leave that strong tasting christmas cake (kidsonly love the icing), it was the almondy kransakake my dad made that I remember & would love to make again - and it looks great too. If I had to pass on one experience to the next generation it would be elderflowers. Pure and simple.

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James

30 June, 6:58PM
James

corned beef & baked beans topped with tomatoes with cheesy mash on top. The quick dish before we rushed out to Cubs. And that was over 20 years ago. The smell as the cheese bubbled under the grill was the best. And you could finish the leftovers when you came back during Knightrider. Made it at Scout camp once too, and last year at Stonehenge at the Solstice - perfect camp food.

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Chris Pakett

2 July, 4:57PM
Chris Pakett

Breaking open a packet of Rowntrees Jelly to share with my mates comes to mind We could never get sufficient sweets during the forties, either not enough money or coupons. Also homemade jam butties, without butter or margarine were very tasty.

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fluffster

4 July, 3:46PM
fluffster

The smell of a ham being cooked on Christmas Eve by my Mum, a tradition I continue myself. I'm transported back straight away by the smell and I feel Christmas has really arrived once the kitchen is surrounded by the scent of the ham cooking. It makes me smile just thinking about it :o)

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smitty

5 July, 5:28PM
smitty

fish & chips in newspaper, Manchester tart, fig roll biscuits and real dairy ice cream

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Emma

6 July, 10:24AM
Emma

tinned sardines - straight away back to my childhood, when every sunday evening we would have tea, sat on the floor in the lounge with the telly on (the only meal where this was allowed). The coffee table would be piled with sardines on toast, or welsh rarebit, and then sandwiches, scones and cakes.

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melen_helen

10 July, 1:34PM
melen_helen

Toast and dripping for Sunday tea in front of Black Beauty. Lovely!

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