How far can one go, when one thinks of the earliest food memory? I don't know...I really cannot recall that far back. But I can recollect some interesting memories around food when I was growing up. Most of them are to do with what Ma baked in her oven..for the innumerable birthdays (the siblings, neighbourhood kids and get togethers ) and the stuff she made when we fell ill.
The staple on our birthdays would be chocolate cake and jelly crystal. And if it was the season of peaches...then peaches in sugar syrup and cream. I still develop a craving every now and then for the latter but it is slightly hard to come by, here.It was almost considered a matter of privilege if Ma allowed us to lick the fresh chocolate cake batter off the bowls and the trusted beater. It was mostly done surreptitiously otherwise. She did a fair bit of baking for us. I remember her making swiss rolls, cookies, chocolates in that tiny little kitchen in Sh.
Melted cheese on a slice of toasted bread was the staple if you were down with fever. Or those many many evenings spent in darkness in Sh, when the curfew was on and the lights had to be put out.
The other thing I remember quite fondly is having a jam made of a reddish, strawberry shaped fruit locally called "tenga mora", in Gh. Its scientific name is Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). There were tenga mora bushes growing in the wild near Aita's house and the table set up for breakfast during the winter holidays at Aita's would inevitably feature tenga mora jam and cream, to be spread on slices of toasted bread.
" Tenga Mora"
(Images courtesy Google Images)
And the many winter afternoons spent eating freshly plucked 'jalphai' / Indian Olives --chopped and seasoned with salt, green chillis and mustard oil. Or the sweet and sour pickle that was absolutely mouthwatering. Yum yum...
There is a lot more that I suddenly remember now..will write about them later..
************
The staple on our birthdays would be chocolate cake and jelly crystal. And if it was the season of peaches...then peaches in sugar syrup and cream. I still develop a craving every now and then for the latter but it is slightly hard to come by, here.It was almost considered a matter of privilege if Ma allowed us to lick the fresh chocolate cake batter off the bowls and the trusted beater. It was mostly done surreptitiously otherwise. She did a fair bit of baking for us. I remember her making swiss rolls, cookies, chocolates in that tiny little kitchen in Sh.
Melted cheese on a slice of toasted bread was the staple if you were down with fever. Or those many many evenings spent in darkness in Sh, when the curfew was on and the lights had to be put out.
The other thing I remember quite fondly is having a jam made of a reddish, strawberry shaped fruit locally called "tenga mora", in Gh. Its scientific name is Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). There were tenga mora bushes growing in the wild near Aita's house and the table set up for breakfast during the winter holidays at Aita's would inevitably feature tenga mora jam and cream, to be spread on slices of toasted bread.
" Tenga Mora"
(Images courtesy Google Images)
And the many winter afternoons spent eating freshly plucked 'jalphai' / Indian Olives --chopped and seasoned with salt, green chillis and mustard oil. Or the sweet and sour pickle that was absolutely mouthwatering. Yum yum...
There is a lot more that I suddenly remember now..will write about them later..
************
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