I don’t know if this happens to other people. I would like
to know. If this happens to you, send me
an email.
Today I did something I’ve been thinking about since late
April when I got back from visiting my friend Marilyn. It does not happen
often, but it does happen and it goes like this.
Something completely random will trigger a memory, a memory
about food, something from my childhood, La Cresta or Altos del Golf in Panama
or Fenoak Dr. or College Ct. in
Barstow. The memory gets locked in the
part of the brain sometimes referred to as the “rewards center,” and on and on
I will get glimpses of this memory.
Over the course weeks and months I will think and think and
think about the particular food until one day I have to have it. And it's always something from my childhood.
There are a few select items on this emotional trigger list, this time
it was pancakes.
This time the idea for pancakes came from discovering the
awesome, vintage, Sunbeam strong, waffle maker I found at Marilyn’s
house in Arizona. The appliance exactly
like the one my MOM used to make pancakes and waffles with. For all the reasons
that I can share that make absolutely no sense, I asked Marilyn if I could have
the waffle maker and she said, “Yes”. I
packed the 30 year-old electric gridle in my suitcase and brought it back to
Atlanta.
When I took care of Riley (Ana and Parker’s Yorkie) for 20+
days in May, I planned to make myself some pancakes at their house in Florida and never did. All of June every so often when I opened the
pantry, the pancake mix would call my name and let me know it was there,
sourced, waiting, available. I found myself moving the package of mix around, checking to see if it
was still there, reading the instructions, acting like making pancakes was something new to me.
Today was the day.
Sometimes it's 3, 4, 5 months of
glimpses, of tiny memories, of thinking about when,what day, what week, and then WHAM, I wake up and I know it is the day.
Today I woke up at my usual time with Maddie and Morgan
around 6:30am. I took care of their morning routine, taking them out, getting
their breakfast ready and then taking them back out again. Today I also went to Brook Run Park and
walked the 2 mile trail.
On the way home
I knew, I was sure. I knew today was the day, the decision was made: I was
going to make pancakes just like my Mother used to make them and I was going to
enjoy every bite.
Anyone that’s ever had pancakes or waffles with me or any of
my siblings knows the Arosemena way
to eat this wonderful breakfast food – with cheese, specifically sharp cheddar.
Let me explain, when we were kids, we
usually had a stack of three pancakes and in between layer 1 and layer 2, we
got a square slice of cheddar cheese, always accompanied with a few slices of
crispy bacon and always a warm generous drizzle of maple syrup.
Pancakes with cheese are wonderful, you have to take my word for this and try it some day. While I don’t eat pancakes or waffles very often, when I do, there is always sharp cheddar cheese.
Pancakes with cheese are wonderful, you have to take my word for this and try it some day. While I don’t eat pancakes or waffles very often, when I do, there is always sharp cheddar cheese.
Today was the day for pancakes with cheese and crispy bacon,
just like my Mom used to make. I enjoyed every bite.
The list of these emotional foods is short, yet the stronghold in my memory banks when they visit is determined. It’s
hard to explain, here they are:
Waffles
Pancakes
French Toast
Coconut Rice
Black Bean Dip
Corn Dogs
My Mom made the best ever homemade corn dogs, we called
them Pronto Pups. I will share the recipe one day. Until then Bon
