Monday, March 9, 2009

Tastes of Childhood

Last weekend, Zack did not have to work. If you know Zack, you will know that this is a rare occasion. In fact, I can not remember when this was last the case. We decided to take advantage of this free time by driving out to Flushing (the Chinatown of Queens) and going on a little food hunt. We went in search of soup dumplings (I read online about "the best soup dumplings in America" or something), but got sidetracked while we were waiting for our table.

Zack's friend Sam held our place in line while we went off to look for almond cookies. Almond cookies are one of my best childhood food memories. Growing up in Oakland, CA, my family was right near the biggest Chinatown in the country. I remember heading into San Francisco, going through the arch on Grant Street and spending what seemed like ages pawing our way through touristy gift shops, looking for a piece of jade or some Chinese slippers. When we got hungry, we would head over to a little bakery that my mom liked. My parents would get red bean buns. I would get an almond cookie. They were buttery and almost too yellow, which almond slivers stuck to the top.

I dragged Zack into five or six bakeries without any luck before finding this one:


I ordered three cookies, one for me, one for Zack and one for Sam.


The cookie crumbled to bits in my mouth (and onto the front of my jacket). I felt like I was seven years old once again.

On the way back, I asked Zack what food reminded him of childhood. For him it was pot roast, apple pie, all those traditional American things. I got a big kick out of that. His childhood food is so different from mine - almond cookies, the vegetarian family dinner at Hunan Village. What foods remind you of your childhood?

3 comments:

Meredith said...

Yeah, it's funny that comfort food for you is something so different from most of the country. Mine are all over the place too, on account of the foreign countries and all.

Mikochan said...

Rice. (SUCH an Asian answer, I know.)Also Mac and Cheese. (From a box... from my mom... any and above, I liked mac and cheese when I was little.) Pesto pasta. (What my dad made.)

Asha said...

mac and cheese, indian hot mix