Good Morning Lovelies, 

Last month, I watched the film, Voicemails For Isabelle and there was something that really stuck with me. There is a scene within it where one of the characters talks about his mum’s amazing chicken pot pie. As he was explaining it, my head went off thinking about the meals that I will never not feel as being special, due to the emotional connection I had with them. 

None of them are very exciting or out of this world but they each mean something to me. They hold a connection to a member of my family or my past that I have loved. With this in mind, I wanted to share with you the meals that are memories. The taste, the timing, the people who have made them. They are all dishes that make me feel whole and they are…

Toast With Jam: Me and my dad used to be very sneaky when my mum would go to bed and make hot toast with lots of butter and strawberry jam to enjoy together, whilst having a little gossip. It became our little ritual and we would often sneakily look forward to my mum going to bed to enjoy a plateful. Even though she wouldn’t have cared if we had it before she went to bed. I think we liked having the meal though because it was something that we did together. A bonding moment shall we say. 

Ready Brek With Lots of Sugar On Top: Every autumn and winter morning of my childhood was spent enjoying a bowl of Ready Brek with a creme brulee style coating of sugar on top. I never had sugar on top of any other cereal but I had to have loads of it on Ready Brek. For me, this bowl of hearty goodness holds a special place in my heart though, as I can recall cuddling up on our sofa with my mum one day after she got really ill, watching Bridget Jones for the first time. I think this was one of the first core memories I ever made and probably one of the best, all thanks to this oaty delight.

My Mum’s Christmas Dinner: Still to this day, on the 25th December, I look forward to waking up to the smell of the turkey roasting. And I don’t even eat meat anymore! There was just something so magical though about getting up and knowing that my mum was going to put on the best dinner of the year. Every vegetable. Every sauce. The hearty stuffing. It was all cooked to perfection. I think if I had to pick my last supper meal, this would have to be it. The taste and smell alone make my heart feel whole.

Lasagna From Our Local Pub: Before the new landlady and her family moved in, we used to have an Italian man running our local pub. He would cook the thickest, richest, most gorgeous lasagna that I have ever tasted. Even when I went to Italy, the lasagna I had there did not taste as good as what the chef at home could make. He was and still to this day is the best Italian cook around to me and I wish that he had never moved away, as I would love to have tasted the lasagna in a vegetable version now.

My Grandad’s Baking: Most people grow up with a cute grandma to bake them cakes. I had my grandad though, who was the king of baked goods in our family. From rock cakes to apple turnovers, you would never leave his home empty handed. One of the best things he used to make was a fruit cake at Christmas, which I could have happily sat and eat all of on my own. For a long time, he would also make me meat pies, which he said he always did because he knew how much I loved them. No pie will ever be as good as his was and I wish now that I had the recipe for them.

Gio’s Fish & Chips In Clacton: Growing up with a holiday home in Clacton meant that we were never not near a fish and chips shop on a hot sunny day. None of them came as good as the ones served at Gio’s though. Serving up a good amount of the fried delights, the team were experts at how much salt and vinegar to put on. We would often each get a bag of them and go and sit on the seafront enjoying them. It is moments like this that I cherish so much now, as I can always remember my parents sitting side by side smiling at each other whilst tucking in. 

Butternut Squash Risotto In Dublin: Many people go to Dublin and get a classic Irish stew or toastie. Yet, I was the odd one when we went the first time, as we found this perfect Italian on the corner. The butternut squash risotto I had within the restaurant, which is sadly no longer there, will forever be the most amazing risotto I have ever eaten. I can still recall the creamy taste and soft butternut chunks which merged together to make perfection on my plate. 

Mini Pasta With Broccoli/Soup & Grated Parmesan: Every day, when I would come home from school, I would often find a pot on our cooker, which contained leftover mini pasta and broccoli or soup. It was what my dad would have had for lunch, made by my mum, using the finest Italian ingredients. I used to love it when I got home, as the liquid would have been all absorbed, leaving the most flavoursome dish. Topped with grated fresh or dried parmesan, it was heaven. Everyone remembers my dad having this dish most days. 

Saturday Night Takeaways: We don’t do this anymore due to many factors but when I was growing up we would always have a Saturday night takeaway. Whether it be from our local chicken shop or the kebab down the road, I couldn’t wait to snuggle up on the sofa with my mum on a Saturday night and watch the cheesiest TV shows as we ate them. 

Homemade Mince Pies & Gingerbread Men: Every Christmas Eve, no matter what, me and my mum will go out in the morning or afternoon and then come back and make mince pies and gingerbread men/shapes. It has been a tradition that we have had since I was young and at times my mum will also throw in some homemade sausage rolls too. The smell from the bakes makes our home smell amazing, with the cinnamon and spices giving off a cosy feeling that you always want on the night before the big day.

Food is such a funny thing, as we often pick what we fancy but don’t really think about why we have chosen that dish. We don’t think about the memories that they bring with them. We don’t think about how those meals have made us who we are today. 

Each plateful that we enjoy is a moment in time that we will never forget. Even if it is just a jam sandwich, I can even recall having a memory of, as my mum would make them for me after I finished nursery in star and heart shapes. 

I hope that this post has inspired you to think back and recall all those special mouthfuls that you have had lovelies. I could name so many more, especially Christmas focused ones, so I may be back for another helping soon! Bon appetit lovelies! 

Joey X