You Do Not Remember (A Quick Food Rant)

As you can rightly assume I have read a lot of food books, some of them have been incredible some of them have been horrible and many have filled the spaces in between.  Though I won’t give a book a bad review on here, I will share with you one of my pet peeves when it comes to food writing, something that comes up in many, many food books good and bad.  The writers declaration at the beginning of the book of their kitchen/food memory at 2 or 3 or 4 years old so eye opening that it was life changing and as a result they are now a cook, restaurateur, food critic etc. 

1.  I don’t think you can have life changing experiences at such an early age, because you have not yet cultivated a life to change

2. I am sure many will disagree with me but I don’t think we are paying that much attention when we are that young to each individual experience.  At that age everything is incredible and brand new.  Your first time making cookie dough does not decide that you will be a cook, though when you become a cook you may look back on that time fondly.

3. It may be a good start to a book but I don’t think you actually remember these things from when you were that young.

This probably bothers me more than it should but as I said, I have read a lot of these books and this theme is annoyingly recurring. 

I have an incredibly good memory, a trait that at times I love and at others I (and my husband) wish I could shut off.  I do have memories from 2 & 3 years old, though they are very quick little snippets, not whole scenes with scents, flavors and thought processes.  I do not have an early food memory that I credit my current love and interest on.  My childhood was surrounded by food: a mother and grandmother that took pleasure in cooking, and a father that took pleasure in eating.  I can’t say that I ever really noticed though, it was just always there and I took it for granted.  There is no doubt that my upbringing has brought me to the point that I am today, and I have lots of great memories of cooking with my mom, and eating with my family.  I won’t be starting a book, or a blog, out with my baby memory that changed my life though.