One of the best books to come along for us foodies is called “Death by Pad Thai: and other unforgettable meals”. Twenty writers allow us to see into their very souls, their lives and of course, the food experiences that made them what they are. The book is edited and introduced by Douglas Bauer.

With chapter titles like “Ramos Gin Fixx”, “Food Envy”, “How I learned to Eat”, and of course, the book title (which is served up last with a long addition in the name), you know you are in for something so rare, so wonderful, that you will not only recommend the book to every food-centered person you know, you will remember it and possibly be changed in a positive way.

I found bits and pieces that reminded me of my own life, several experiences just like mine, and a wonderful respect for food that is so lacking these days among non-foodies.

Elizabeth McCracken, one of the writers, begins her story “Full” by saying “I come from food the way some people come from money. Food was the medium I grew up in, what we talked about, what shaped our days.”

I grew up with a mother who was a decent cook, but not really an adventuresome one. She was from South Carolina and her mother was a phenomenal Southern cook, with all that meant. My father was from Pennsylvania, and his mother was originally from Wisconsin. Grandma came from a large farm family, and cooked and baked entirely different from the Southern portion of my heritage.

When my Dad took his vacation, we would go down to Myrtle Beach, Conway, Sumter and once in a while, Atlanta. I looked forward to platters of fried chicken, greens, black eyed peas, rice and gravy were the mainstay of special dinners. Or fresh fish caught by the menfolk, dipped in corn meal and fried in one skillet while corn dodgers (hush puppies) crackeled and bounced in the hot fat of another skillet.

The meals I remember most from up North were more Winter-based. Stick to your ribs, warming you from the inside out: fish chowder, beef stew in thick flavorful gravy, home made rolls, homemade noodles, carrots, celery and onions completed stewed chicken and dumplings.

Food was talked about mainly in terms of what to pick up at the store, or what we would have for dinner.

Along the way, I married a man from a Russian Orthodox background, and pierogies and stuffed cabbage and haluski became part of my cooking repertoire.

Things picked up even more, culinary-wise, when my hubby joined the Navy. We began to experience a wider range of food and cooking, from so many sources.

And food was not so much the end-all and be-all of our existence, but a way to learn, to experience and to enjoy life. We didn’t learn from just eating but from reading, experimenting and were blessed by other people’s contributions that were pulled into the gravity of our life.

From folks at Parris Island to my dear friend, Chef Billy Sy who taught me garde manger and Chinese cooking to our son Doug’s friend Jana and his wife Uma and their Indian recipes…all left their mark on our lives. These days, we are on good terms with folks whose restaurants we love, from TaiPei Tokyo in Monroeville here to The Ceramic Grill in High Point, NC. We don’t always go to places recommended in food magazines, we like to find places off the beaten track, and we are very blessed when this happens. (If you’re ever in Springdale, PA, try visiting Top It! for wonderful Italian food or Ladles, especially when they hold their monthly wine-tasting sessions…)

We brought our children up in this atmosphere, and their experiences have proved invaluable to them in many ways. I guess they also “came from food”…and Mark, the only one to have children (so far) has also passed on a love of food to his three young boys. When they visited last weekend, Mark and the boys made fresh pasta for dinner. How many boys, ages 13, 11 and almost 5, who want to do this? These boys do.

I guess one could say that we live to eat, and not eat to live…and speaking of that, I think I need to check my roasted chicken with Meyer Lemons which should almost be done…the fragrance from the kitchen is making me hungry…

Many hugs
Cyn