A feast of memories
the stove assail me every single time this dish is on the table.
I hold on to his notebook where he meticulously wrote down the recipe and smile whenever I see his familiar handwriting.
Poovarni’s
New Year feast. psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts.
It’s not just about what your food looks like or the taste, but all the senses are involved and that offers the potential to layer the richness of a food memory.
“Food memories feel so nostalgic because there’s all this context of when you were preparing or eating this food, so the food becomes almost symbolic of other meaning,” says Whitbourne.
She adds: “A lot of our memories as children, it’s not so much the apple pie, for example, but the whole experience of being a family, being nourished, and that acquires a lot of symbolism apart from the sensory quality.”
The Movement Control Order (MCO) presents an opportunity for us to recreate some of our favourite dishes that brought us much happiness in the past.
It’s also perhaps the perfect time for us to make special new memories for our family as well. What’s your favourite food story?
elekoshy@nst.com.my
“I mAke it A point to return to my pArents’ plAce Almost every weekend. Although I’ve been stAying on my own for the pAst decAde, I still insist thAt I’m ‘going home’ when Anyone Asks me About my weekend plAns.
My childhood home is still the plAce where I get my best sleep, And of course, the comfort of my mother’s cooking. The festive feAsts she drums up for speciAl dAys of the yeAr — be it PonggAl, TAmil New YeAr or DeepAvAli — remAin my firm fAvourites. I AlwAys mAintAin thAt there’s something About my mother’s dhAll she mAkes on festive occAsions thAt’s different And speciAl As compAred to the usuAl FridAy dhAll dish!
We recently celebrAted TAmil New YeAr on April 14. With the MCO in plAce, there wAs no wAy I could drive over to my pArents’ plAce. This mArks the first time I’d be ushering in the new yeAr Alone.
I wAs tempted to Ask mum to send some of her cooking viA delivery. Then I thought to myself: “Why don’t I replicAte mum’s cooking here At my own home?” ThAt’s exActly whAt I did. CreAte A feAst — Albeit A simpler version — At my own bAchelor pAd.
My mum recited her Age-old recipes which I recorded fAithfully word for word.
On April 14, I woke up, worked out, showered And prAyed — Almost exActly whAt mum would usuAlly do (minus the exercise of course!).
And then I cooked. Three dishes complete with dessert. I honestly hAve no ideA how mum does this singlehAndedly every single yeAr but oh my god, it wAs exhAusting! WAs it worth All the time And effort for just one person?
Every bit of it. I drAped A new sAree, dished the food on A bAnAnA leAf And Ate every morsel on thAt leAf. It felt every bit of home, AwAy from home.”