When I was a wee child in Sunday School for some reason I used to sing "Thank you for your taste and flavour" instead of "Thank you for your grace and favour". Possibly because as a weenie I could understand the former but not the latter.
In actual fact it was probably simply a false memory generated a little later in life when I thought it would be funny.
Many years ago in the Sixties my mother succumbed to a very bad bout of 'flu. She was in bed for a while with the doctor in attendance. She recovered. However her ability to taste diminished. Later in life after another bout of 'flu her ability to taste reduced considerably. Oddly my ability to taste also diminished after various bouts of 'flu. My last one was at Christmas 2000. My ability to taste is now very poor but seemingly random. Some things I can taste quite well and many not at all. Like my mother I realised that for me texture is far more important than flavour when eating many foods.
My parents were very active until their late 80s and 90s but, obviously the energy they expended as they got less active decreased as did their need for food. However Dad still enjoyed his food whereas Mum did not. For her food was simply fuel although I remember she developed a liking for packetted Vesta Curry in her mid '80s. I assume they were meat although my mother had never really enjoyed eating meat. However they were very easy to prepare when they were still living in their own house. She also loved omelettes.
All this has come back to me in the last year or so now I've reached 80. I still enjoy cooking but really only for other people because that provides an incentive to do something interesting. I find cooking for myself a chore which gets in the way of other things I want to do but my body still needs fuel.
I eat exceptionally slowly which adds to the boredom factor. So I have routines for getting through meals when I'm alone. Breakfast I do Wordle and Words with Friends. Lunchtime I do a crossword. Dinner I usually watch the news.
What does food mean to you?
Food means fuel, yes, but also enjoyment, comfort, delight, socialising, reward… quite a lot depending on circumstances, and often more than one of these.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to you I like to cook when I know there is someone that will eat the result with me. When O.K. and I have a weekend at my place, I like to think about what to do for our meals, mostly something seasonal and regional. I plan and buy and then cook, preferably alone in the kitchen, I lay the table nicely, light a candle, and after the meal, I don‘t mind at all cleaning up.
Same when I have more than just one guest; I work much better on my own innmy kitchen. But I like helping O.K. when we are at his place and prepare a meal for family or friends, and laying the table is one of my favourite parts. I want to make people feel they are very welcome and their visit is a joy. Again, I don‘t mind washing up etc. after the meal.
Texture is certainly important, and it is the one reason why I do not like certain desserts (puddings) - I find their texture inexplicably disgusting.
I'm afraid I am somewhat like your mother. Food is fuel and I am not terribly interested in it, and certainly not cooking it. I do like nice food and tastes but it doesn't excite me at all.
ReplyDeleteI eat very quickly, too quickly so my wife says I don't taste the food. As I age I taste less and my appetite is less.
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