My First Meme: Childhood Food Memories

Fried plantain

The latest meme to make the rounds on the food blogs is about childhood food memories. To my unexpected pleasure, Pille has tagged me to participate. Here are seven childhood memories of food that come to mind:

1- Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli

As a kid, my mom would occasionally serve us the canned pasta, Chef Boyardee beef ravioli. I suppose it was easy to make – open the can, pour it in a pan, heat, and serve the screaming, hungry kids.

Everything about Chef Boyardee was physically and visually stimulating for me. I had no problem licking my plate clean when the pasta was put in front of me.

I loved the deep red color of the tomato sauce and square shape of the ravioli. I loved the way the sauce kissed my lips and stayed there until my mother would remind me to wipe my mouth – with the napkin and not my hand. Not wanting to waste a drop of the sauce, I’d try to lick my lips clean first before using the cloth.

I haven’t had Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli in years. The other day I saw a cooking show demonstrating how to make fresh ravioli. I plan on trying the recipe soon, but in the meantime, I think it’s time for me to go buy a can of one of my childhood favorite foods. I wonder if it’ll taste the same as I remember. Hmmm….

2- Fanta

As a child living in Africa, I used to love this bright orange, sweet, syrupy, carbonated drink. Yes, I know that it’s a drink and not food, but it’s part of my childhood food memories.

My parents never gave us sweets or soda at home, but they allowed us to have them only during a party, special gathering, or when we visited a friend’s or a relative’s home.

Anytime we’d visit my favorite aunt (Auntie Torshie), she’d serve us whatever we wanted. She’d ask me what I wanted to drink and I’d always ask for a Fanta. It came in a nice glass bottle, served ice cold. The weather was always hot and the Fanta would hit the spot when I drank it.

When we moved to the U.S., Fanta was nowhere to be unearthed until recent years. However I’ve discovered that the U.S. Fanta (which contains fructose corn syrup) is different tasting from the Fanta of my childhood. The African Fanta, instead, contains cane sugar, which is much sweeter and different tasting.

Once in a while, when I’m able to get my hands on a Fanta made with cane sugar, it still hits the spot and brings back good memories of fun, laughter, hot weather, cool liquid, sweet taste, and playing at my aunt’s home.

3- Auntie Torshie’s Pound Cake

One of my favorite childhood food memories is of a scrumptious pound cake that my Auntie Torshie would make. She’s no longer with us but I have the best of memories about my aunt. Her name was Theresa. I’m not sure why we called her to Torshie, but I suspect that one of the kids couldn’t pronounce Theresa and instead, Torshie stuck.

Auntie Torshie baked her cakes in different cooper baking molds like the shell, curved fish, hen, heart, fruit, and sun molds. These various shapes made her cakes even more enticing to my young eyes.

I remember how the delicious scent of freshly baked cake would meet me at the door, when I’d return home from school. The inviting fragrance wafted all over the house and even before I’d put my schoolbag down, I’d run to the kitchen. Happily there’d be a large slice waiting for my sister and me. Sometimes her cakes were plain and other times they were topped with raisins.

I think my aunt must have had a secret ingredient that made her cakes taste so special because I’ve never tasted any pound cake as tasty as hers again. It’s a shame that no one in the family learned how to make her cakes.

4- Ray’s Pizza (New York City pizza)

First, I have to say that there’s nothing like a New York City pizza. It’s the best.

New York City pizza is different from the pizza in other U.S. states and other countries. In addition, each city pizzeria makes their pizza somewhat differently. Some are better than others. The difference may lie in the sauce, crust or dough. I’ve heard some say that the New York City water makes the difference. I don’t know about that: maybe they have a point.

For three years, as a junior high school student, I’d eat pizza every day for lunch. I’m surprised that I wasn’t overweight then, didn’t develop hardened arteries, or coronary problems.

There was a pizzeria near my school called Ray’s Pizza. It catered to the students, people who worked in the neighborhood, and residents.

The students were allowed to leave the school during lunchtime, so my friends and I would go to Ray’s and order a plain slice of pizza, which cost about fifty cents. Those were the good ole’ days. Today, a pizza costs at least three bucks! Three! If you want toppings on it like meat or vegetables, it costs even more.

Ray’s made really good pizza, which tasted best when it came, piping hot, straight from the oven. The slice consisted of a thick crust, semi-sweet tomato sauce, which now that I think about it, might have reminded me of Chef Boyardee sauce, and a nice layering of cheese. Before eating, we could season it with salt, garlic, dried oregano and or hot, crushed red pepper flakes.

It wasn’t enough to eat our slices and leave. Normally the students liked to play pranks on the poor unsuspecting adult customers. Once, one of the kids in my group unscrewed the top of the saltshaker and left it on the table as if nothing was wrong. Then we ran outside to watch from the window as an unsuspecting hungry man reached for the salt to use on his pizza. As soon as he overturned the shaker, a heap of salt and the container top landed on his pizza, making it inedible. Everyone laughed and we run back to school. Yeah. I know. That wasn’t very nice.

While I haven’t been to Ray’s Pizza in years, I’ve been to other pizza places as an adult. To this day, when I reach for the seasoning shakers, like the salt or garlic, I always make sure that the lid is tightly screwed on before I turn it over to use. Hey, I was a kid once; I know what could happen.

5- Spinach Stew with Salmon and Shrimp

Living in the U.S., my mom used to make the most delicious spinach stew with salmon and shrimp. As children, my siblings and I loved it. She’d make it from frozen spinach, canned salmon and fresh shrimp. Other ingredients, included olive oil, onions, garlic, tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, and a shrimp cube.

I could never understand it when I’d hear someone say how much he or she hated spinach because it always tasted appetizing to me. Then it finally dawned on me that not everybody prepared it the way my mother did. After that, I was tempted to invite everyone who told me they hated spinach to come over to my place for dinner. I was sure that they’d change their mind after tasting my mom’s spinach stew.

Initially, my mother made the spinach stew for the family, but eventually it became her signature dish. She’d make it for dinner parties, potluck dinners, and sick friends. Her serving bowl would always come back empty and those who’d never had the food before would be surprised that they’d just eaten spinach and liked it.

My mom no longer cooks, so I haven’t eaten it in a long time. My sister has tried to make it once or twice but hasn’t tasted the same.

Hmmm… since I’ve taken an interest in cooking now, I’d better ask her how she made it and start practicing it, before the oral recipe is lost forever, just like my Auntie Torshie’s cake.

6- Fried Plantain (or Kaylaywaylay)

When my family lived in Africa, as a child, plantains were my favorite food. For those who don’t know, plantains resemble bananas, but are much larger and starchier. They come in two colors – yellow (ripe) or green (unripe). Plantains can be boiled, fried, or baked. They’re eaten whole, cut, or mashed. Some recipes are simple, while others are more involved.

When my siblings and I would visit Auntie Torshie, she’d allow us to go outside with another adult, to buy kaylaywaylay from the lady in the street. That was a real treat for me. Kaylaywaylay is a ripe plantain cut in cubes, sprinkled with salt, pepper, fresh ginger juice, and then fried. The woman would wrap the fried plantain in old newspaper and give it to us.

We’d return to my aunt’s house where I’d open the newspaper as if I were unwrapping a Christmas present; and then eat my hot kaylaywaylay like it was the most special meal on a plate of gold.

Plantains started out as a childhood favorite but have stayed with me as an adult and become my comfort food. I like it best when it’s prepared in its simplest form – fried with salt and pepper. I exclude the ginger juice, which gives it another taste altogether.

All you do is cut the plantains in round slices or cubes, sprinkle salt and pepper, then fry it in a deep pan filled with vegetable oil till it’s golden brown (pictured above).

A yellow (ripe) plantain and prepping it before cooking

7- Green mangoes

We had several fruit trees surrounding our house in Africa. It included three mango trees – one at the side of the bungalow and two in the back.

The mango trees showered the grounds with an overabundance of fruits. After playing outside, I could pick up a ripe mango at any time. There was never a neat way to eat the fruit. As I bit into it, the sweet juice burst into my mouth; dribbled down my bottom lip to continue down my fingers, hand, and arm. Eating these yellow mangoes was usually a sticky situation but defiantly worth it.

Best of all, I loved to eat green mangoes, which I think is an acquired taste for many. I’d sprinkle a little salt on the hard, unripe fruit before biting into it. I loved the sour taste that buzzed my tongue and the inside of my mouth. The taste made my lips pucker and smack in delight after every taste.

As an adult, I still eat mangoes, which are sold in the grocery stores and supermarkets and even in the streets during the summertime. However, I’ve never come across the same kind of green mangoes that I used to eat as a child. The closest I’ve found is a hard but ripe mango.

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So that’s about it. Thanks, Pille for inviting me to play along. I had fun remembering some of the foods from my childhood.

Since I’m supposed to pass the meme along, I’d like to invite Angelika, Gia, Joey, and Stephen to participate. I’d love to read about your childhood food memories.

Below is the meme tree. When it’s your turn, move down the list, drop number one from the top spot, move the numbers down, and place yourself in the number five spot. Don’t forget to link the blogs (except yours).

1. Chocolate & Zucchini

2. A Finger in Every Pie

3. The Traveler’s Lunchbox

4. Nami-Nami

5. The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz

Paz

Ed. Note: The correct spelling for fried plantain is "kelewele." However in the title, I've spelled it out phonetically.