What foods bring up good memories

I thought this might be a fun topic. One item for me is ham and cheese croissants. I remember the first time I flew on an airplane. I was 9 or 10 at the time, so around 1977 or 78. My mother, two sisters, and I were flying from Birmingham to Cleveland. Me and my sisters were spending the whole summer with my grandparents, while my mom stayed a week or so. We were "kind of" vegetarians- meaning if my father wasn't around my mom would let us eat meat. This was during the time where they actually gave you food on the the airplane. I had a ham and cheese croissant. Everytime I eat one I remember that trip- a first flight, going to grandpa's, and eating meat on the sly.

Scotcharoos(I'll share this recipe before Christmas)
Tater salad
smoked pepper encrusted ham from Elders Meat Market in Beeville, Texas(I call it ambrosia).
Homemade Banana Pudding with vanilla wafers
Pinto Beans

All of these my mother made except the ham.

Be careful...food memories are a powerful thing.

DoctorShavegood said:

Scotcharoos(I'll share this recipe before Christmas)

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looking forward to it

When I make home fries I think of all the times we ate it down at our ranch outside of Freer, Texas. It always tasted better there.

Banana cream pie. Mom made it growing up, and I took it for granted. Now, really good banana cream pie brings back memories.

Enjoyed a phenomenal banana cream pie at the Apple Pan in West Los Angeles a few months ago. Absolutely the best I've had in four decades.

Grandma Parker's snickerdoodle cookies
Mom's Chicken Tetrazzini with green olives and Ritz cracker topping
Mom's loose meat sandwiches
the relish tray at The Redwood in Anita, IA (we used to go with extended family at least three times a year. even now they still do the relish tray with every meal)
Oysters on the half shell
my dad's "macaroni and tomato juice" (literally cooked macaroni and canned tomatoes). It's the only thing I have ever seen him cook that wasn't off the grill.

Mom's Lasagna. Yummy

Powdered milk, government cheese, and peanut butter.

It reminds me to never forget where I came from.

My dad's mince n tatties were second to none.

I made my first rib roast the year we almost cancelled Christmas due to flu. Baby son got it, then wife. I went out on Christmas Eve, found a huge roast, that I later found was mislabelled and rang up as 19 bucks (instead of 90), and roasted it over a bed of carrots. Tasted better than any traditional ham or turkey I ever had.

August West said:

Powdered milk, government cheese, and peanut butter.

It reminds me to never forget where I came from.

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I was there once, too. Government cheese made the best grilled cheese. I wonder if you can buy it.

oc_in_fw said:

I was there once, too. Government cheese made the best grilled cheese. I wonder if you can buy it.

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I think since they went to the EBT system those days are gone.

Gotta check eBay.

August West said:

I think since they went to the EBT system those days are gone.

Gotta check eBay.

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afraid you're probably right.

on edit: Looks like it is gone. It was kind of like velveeta, but not as nasty tasting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_cheese

Pot roast with vegetables in a pressure cooker. I remember the relief valve going off when supper was ready. Mom would make cheaper meat delicious.

oc_in_fw said:

It was kind of like velveeta, but not as nasty tasting

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Exactly.

cornbread slathered in butter and molasses

Don't know what to call this one:
When we were sick, mom would make what she called "crackers and soup". You use a can of Campbells Tomato Soup, but only add 1/3 the water it calls for. You end up with a much thicker soup. Then, take a big plate and arrange a bunch of crackers so they are covering the plate in one layer. Mom always had Wheatsworth on hand. Spoon the soup over the crackers so it sits on top, but doesn't completely drown them. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. I have no idea where this recipe came from. Probably her parents. I always loved it, and secretly liked getting sick so she would make it for me.

Edcculus said:

cornbread slathered in butter and molasses

Don't know what to call this one:
When we were sick, mom would make what she called "crackers and soup". You use a can of Campbells Tomato Soup, but only add 1/3 the water it calls for. You end up with a much thicker soup. Then, take a big plate and arrange a bunch of crackers so they are covering the plate in one layer. Mom always had Wheatsworth on hand. Spoon the soup over the crackers so it sits on top, but doesn't completely drown them. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. I have no idea where this recipe came from. Probably her parents. I always loved it, and secretly liked getting sick so she would make it for me.

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better yet- sorghum

Oh, and my grandmothers Honey Wheat Bread recipe. Just smelling that bread cooking instantly transports me back to their old house in Clemson SC.

The one food that brings back pleasant memories is Clam Chowder.

Growing up eating clam chowder brings up many excellent memories of Rocky Point Amusement Park in Rhode Island. Our family used to go this amusement park with a massive dining hall. My entire family loved going to the amusement part and eating the best clam chowder with what are called "clam cakes." Nothing compared to the quality, taste, etc. of their clam chowder. They made the very best "Manhattan" style (with red sauce) anywhere.

Rocky Point Amusement Park has long been closed and eventually was demolished. I will miss this place so much.

Feijoas - My grandparents had a large feijoa tree. Just seeing one takes me back there.

Bangers and Mash and/or Yorkshire Pudding take me back to an incredibly special day in Chicago five years ago now ...

Sardines make me think of my dad.

Food is an incredibly powerful memory device for me.