"Taste as Nature has endowed us with it is still that one of our senses which gives us the greatest joy...because it can mingle with all the other pleasures, and even console us for their absence"
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste
(1755-1826)
M.F.K. Fisher once wrote "Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly". Since early childhood, the enjoyment of food has been one of the scaffolds on which I have built my life. That is not to say it's an obsession or mission but, rather, the natural culmination of my exploration of life. While growing up en famille, our household always had dinners together, my mother doing all the cooking despite having a full-time career as an interior decorator. Her meals were wonderful, originating from her own mother's Eastern European styles, her mother-in-law's Dutch/Germanic recipes, and, at the time, modern day cookbooks. My father, always the disciplinarian, would assure I was holding my silverware correctly, not chewing with my mouth open, and never reaching across the table beyond my grasp. One slip-up and a fork would come crashing down in a surprise attack on the back of my hand. Not to say I was raised as a young David Copperfield, I did, however, enjoy these meals. Sunday dinner was always a special time where we would share memorable meals with aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Sunday was, after all, a family day. My dear cousin, Norma, always reminds me of a stage I went through when I wouldn't eat at anyone else's house but my own...I soon outgrew that!
I was always reminded not to over-indulge or I would "end up looking like Uncle Sy", a warm-hearted man who cut a Falstaff-like figure and who certainly enjoyed his food, being the caterer he was. So, as a child, I went through periods of chubbiness, and, when it came time to shop for school clothes, we were always directed to the "husky" section of the the clothes rack. "Husky" must have been an early politically-correct term for being overweight. Fortunately, I have outgrown this terminology with the help of going to the gym and watching what I eat.
Contrast all this with what occurs today. People dine out much more frequently than they did back then and the diameter of the plates has doubled with huge portion sizes, necessitating the invention of the "doggy bag". I have watched romantic young couples sitting across from each other, engaged more in their cell phones than each other. Often, dinner conversation is extremely limited. I have seen young men in rather upscale restaurants sitting with baseball caps atop their heads. (By now, my dad would have guillotined me for such a crime!)
The latest trend is having dinner parties and wondering who to invite and what to serve, as you have to account for "food issues". Vegans, Lacto-ovo-vegans, vegetarians, paleos, pescatarians, food "allergies", this and that diet, etc. confront the hosts in planning a meal. As a physician, I have great concern for people with severe allergies and Coeliac Disease, as I have diagnosed and treated them, but now it seems everyone has a gluten enteropathy despite never having been diagnosed. All this is enough to assure the extinction of dinner parties!
Enough of my curmudgeonly ranting! I will satisfy myself by looking back at memorable meals and tastings. Some of these were pretty basic (and unhealthy)! Who remembers the infamous "belly-buster" at Howard Johnson's? : Fried clams, oysters, shrimp, and french fries....all you could eat! I do! I believe there remains one HoJo restaurant today in all of the United States. My wife's Uncle Bus was an executive at Howard Johnson's and, one day, invited me to tour their commissary in Long Island City. It was on that day that I saw how they made their famous hot dogs. Needless to say, it was years before I ever ate another frankfurter!
Some meals were more memorable like an elegant Thanksgiving dinner as a pre-teen at the Tappan Hill Restaurant in Tarrytown, NY, overlooking the Hudson. It was just perfect, sitting in an old mansion with family, eating a wonderful meal with all the fixings.
 |
| Tappan Hill back in the day |
Then there was the time the New York State Thruway opened in 1957. My Uncle Stanley and Aunt Edith with cousins Bob and Ellen Mayer pulled up in front of our house in their open convertible and asked my parents if I could "ride the Thruway" with them for a day trip. We drove north for what seemed like hours, crossing over the Tappan Zee Bridge, an engineering marvel in its day. Finally, we arrived in Woodstock, NY at the White Horse Inn where I first got to taste roast capon. I don't know why, but I have never forgotten that wonderful meal and a delightful sun-filled day.
 |
| The original Tappan Zee Bridge |
When my sister and I were kids, a big treat was to go away as a family for a week in the summer. Among these trips were Cape Cod (seafood!!), a farm in Hawley, Pennsylvania (fresh laid eggs each morning), and, for a real culinary experience, to Kass Inn in Margaretville, NY. This was a small family run resort featuring pretty basic accommodations and a pool... but it was known for its food. I was introduced to filet mignon, a treat I continue to enjoy to this day. It was so tender, you could cut it with a fork, served with a delicious sauce.
It would be years later, while living in Belgium, that I had such a treat. We discovered a small restaurant in the village of Ohain by the name of "Les Ailes"(The Garlics). Their signature dish was Tournedos Rossini, a filet mignon covered by a tranche of pate de foie gras, a truffle, and a lovely sauce. It was a big treat for us as I was a student with little money.
 |
| Tournedos Rossini! |
Belgium was, indeed, a gourmet's holiday! You could find anything that suited one's palate. Between all the auberges and brasseries, there was food to be had at reasonable prices. Sometimes, when it comes to food, simpler is better. There was a place at the Toison d'Or called "Le Coucou" which specialized in rotisserie chicken. However, my favorite there was a hamburger covered with sautéed onions and a fried egg! Oddly enough, it was call "Le Grande Coucou"! At the Porte de Hal was a brasserie called "Le Breughel" where they served "steak Breughel" covered by a secret sauce of cream, spices and mushrooms preceded by a serving of fromage fondue!
Henri Premiere served a wonderful "Poulet a l'Estragon" , Chez Leon served "Moules Provencales", a big tray of mussels covered with Provencal sauce, cheese, and baked in the oven, La Fringale served wonderful omelets with french fries and salad, and the local student place, La Gueule de Bois served a wonderful steak spaghetti that I've been unable to duplicate. All these could be washed down with a tasty Belgian beer. I even tried "bifsteak a cheval" (horsemeat) in the student cafeteria not even realizing what I was eating.
 |
| Poulet a L'Estragon (Chicken with estragon) |
 |
| Moules Provençale at Chez Leon's |
One of our favorite standby restaurants was L'Auberge de Boondael in Ixelles, located on a little square. They served excellent food but, for me, the dessert really stood out: Crepe d'Auberge which was a lovely crepe filled with mandarin oranges, vanilla ice cream, all covered by a Grand Marnier sauce that they would put a flame to!
 |
| Crepe d'Auberge |
Probably the best meal I ate there or anywhere else for that matter was at a little farm restaurant in the countryside around our village. I ordered pintadeau (guinea hen) covered with champagne sauce and white grapes. If one can find rapture through food, I certainly had.
Over the years, through international travel (France, UK, Iceland, Cuba, Costa Rica, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, etc.) my foodie adventures have broadened, thanks to many different cuisines but I still go back to my basic likes because it is through them that I find comfort, satisfaction, and familiarity. I search constantly for the perfect New York City pizza, the kind you can fold and have olive oil drip down your chin. Here, in Rochester, I've come pretty close, but something's still missing. And then, there's my old standby. While my wife has been the French toast maven, sampling it all over the world, mine is linguini in white clam sauce. The very best I've eaten was in a little restaurant in Palermo, Sicily, the name of which sadly escapes me. The criteria?...plenty of tender clams, the right amount of garlic, linguini cooked al dente... and not too salty!
 |
| Go ahead...take a bite! |
 |
| I hope I've whet your appetite! |
So, in conclusion, food for me is an embellishment of living, bringing joy through its flavors and the associations I make through sharing meals with my favorite people. About a year ago, my daughter gave me a book that I recommend to you: "Stories From the Kitchen", an anthology of short stories all having to do with food, meals, flavors...and love. The authors range from Dickens to Nora Ephron, from Isak Dinesen to Amy Tan, 24 little gems in all. I assure you that after reading a few of them, you'll work up an appetite! Let me leave you with one piece of advice: don't feel threatened by food...try it and savor it. Whether you enjoy it or not, you've discovered something new.
Comments
Post a Comment