I told Jeronne to come in and eat with us plllease. (She is stubborn and likes to clean up after us while we eat - annoying!) She mentioned that Troy's food was "belle" (pretty). She tasted it. She stopped. She mixed it around. She tried it again. Her face said it was missing something and I could tell she was wishing for the Famosa Haitian Ketchup.While I find that to be odd, I understand that when it comes to cultural norms, food is one of the last things each of us would let go of or change. For the same reasons I get to the USA and order a huge fancy salad or ask my Mom to make her Pork Chops or Lasagna; Jeronne loves her Spaghetti noodles and ketchup. I read recently that studies show that immigrants that are interviewed a decade or more after leaving their home country will almost always say food is what they miss the most about home. It is such a huge part of who we are and a major part of our memories.
It took us two years of living here to stop wishing daily for cows milk. Breaded Pork Chops remind me of my Mom. That was one of her specialty items. If I am thinking of her house and reflecting on
childhood dinners, that is the food that pops into my head.Just think, someday my sweet children will be grown and as they pour their bowl of Honeycombs they'll reminisce and say, "Oh .... how these make me long for my wonderful Mother. She sure could put out a box of cereal!"
What is your favorite comfort/Mom/home cooked food?
For those who have lived abroad or spent considerable time away from "home" - what foods did you miss the most?
