Firstly, apologies all for the delay in this week's post. Yesterday saw the funeral of my Great Aunty Joy. It was a sad day for us all, but particularly for my Grandmother, her sister, who was very close to her & had cared for her until the end. In the latter years of her life she had sadly suffered from severe dementure & so was not herself as we all knew her, but in tales I have heard lately of her life it's even clearer to me that she was an inspiring woman.
Stories ranged from those that included wild motorbike rides to London with her sister to working with the elderly & teaching disabled children to ride horses.
Now, I know you may be thinking what has this to do with food or therapy but let me get to it.
My memories of Aunty Joy are skipping in through the porch of her bungalow, shoes trip-trapping on the cold concrete floor & through into the kitchen - pale blue cupboards, small gas hob, folding leaf table - & inevitably the request to be given a task, more often than not, making small terracotta plant pots into fully furnished houses for tiny clay mice, but whatever the task before it was undertaken she would stoop into one particular blue cupboard & pluck from it a jar of jelly babies. We would each take one & then on with the matter in hand.
Sometimes, the task would be baking rather than making. One particular occassion, I remember coating macaroons in chocolate & coconut. To this day, every time I partake in the odd macaroon, that'll be my first thought. Another foodstuff that never fails to evoke childhood memories of both Aunty Joy & my Granny is the wonderful thing that is jelly, but not any ordinary jelly - jelly with appropriate fruit suspended in animation. As a child this was the pinnacle of desserts, not only delicious but I remain mystified as to how the fruit found it's way into it's place! I now make this for my daughter too!
So food does not only serve the one purpose - to nourish us. Because it is something we partake in so often, food relates to so much more, including associations with people, places & memories.
These are some of my foody memories, & this week I ask, what are yours? What dishes, recipes or anything else do you assosciate with good times, beautiful places or loved ones? What food brings not just nourishment or fulfillment to your body, but warmth & happiness to your soul?
I look forward to hearing from you all. Please link up below, comment or drop me a line on Twitter (@PeaGreenPantry).
Stories ranged from those that included wild motorbike rides to London with her sister to working with the elderly & teaching disabled children to ride horses.
Now, I know you may be thinking what has this to do with food or therapy but let me get to it.
My memories of Aunty Joy are skipping in through the porch of her bungalow, shoes trip-trapping on the cold concrete floor & through into the kitchen - pale blue cupboards, small gas hob, folding leaf table - & inevitably the request to be given a task, more often than not, making small terracotta plant pots into fully furnished houses for tiny clay mice, but whatever the task before it was undertaken she would stoop into one particular blue cupboard & pluck from it a jar of jelly babies. We would each take one & then on with the matter in hand.
Sometimes, the task would be baking rather than making. One particular occassion, I remember coating macaroons in chocolate & coconut. To this day, every time I partake in the odd macaroon, that'll be my first thought. Another foodstuff that never fails to evoke childhood memories of both Aunty Joy & my Granny is the wonderful thing that is jelly, but not any ordinary jelly - jelly with appropriate fruit suspended in animation. As a child this was the pinnacle of desserts, not only delicious but I remain mystified as to how the fruit found it's way into it's place! I now make this for my daughter too!
So food does not only serve the one purpose - to nourish us. Because it is something we partake in so often, food relates to so much more, including associations with people, places & memories.
These are some of my foody memories, & this week I ask, what are yours? What dishes, recipes or anything else do you assosciate with good times, beautiful places or loved ones? What food brings not just nourishment or fulfillment to your body, but warmth & happiness to your soul?
I look forward to hearing from you all. Please link up below, comment or drop me a line on Twitter (@PeaGreenPantry).
Sorry for your loss chick. I do know what you mean though about food being a therapy in situations like this. I associate battenberg cake with my nan; she used to have 3 out of the 4 of us on a rotating programme to tea on Saturdays (my mum would be spending 1:1 time with 4th) and she always provided battenberg. My grandma once taught me how to make scones but told me a tbsp not a tsp of salt and then scolded me when they were horrid. And my great-aunt used to make a mean potted meat sandwich!
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful! Battenburg reminds me of my Grandpa, it's one of my favourites! I bet your scones will always have been tasty after a scalding though haha :) thanks for sharing!
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