Mom's food

     We, most of us, would have definitely had lingering thoughts about how scrumptious the food is/was when prepared by mom. When we think about it may vary, may be when we are recollecting those golden memories of our childhood or when finding a recipe we ate in childhood, after a long gap or when tasting mom’s food after a gap or (sadly) when tasting the same recipe with a tepid face, which was prepared by wife.  J

     

     I remembered it lastly, before few days, when in a program the speaker said why most men always think Mom’s food is the BEST. Said reason was, when as a toddler we didn't had the sense of taste, as wise as, we posses now and we wanted food just to satisfy our hunger. I couldn't just accept that, because I still feel that mom’s food is the BEST I could ever taste (considering that my sense of taste got better than it was and there are plenty of options to get my hunger satisfied). Then I started thinking, why is it so?

     

     Mom’s food is probably the first food we had, ever since we started eating. May it be a usual recipe that’s a part of our staple diet or a specialty recipe which is rare is to find these days. That taste we experienced first, might be hidden somewhere in our mind and is sparked, the next time when we eat that kind of food. And, no other hand can cook that kind of food. It is as unique as fingerprints.

     

     Does a mom get satisfied in cooking, just after mixing and heating various spices, flours, cereals, grains, vegetables etc and moving that tasteful dish to dining table? I haven’t felt so. A mom gets that satisfaction of cooking, only when we eat that food and show that satisfaction of having a great food. And she cooks, knowing what the right food for the meal is. Please trust me, she need not to finish a nutrition course for this.

     

     Does serving food means decorating the dish with an attractive topping and then, leaving it to the eater to take as he wants? It is all about, reading the eater’s mind and giving the right dish, at right amount. Mom is the best, at this as well.

     

     I believed that mom is preparing a scrumptious meal, and she always did it, as she cooks with care and love.

     

     Is food only about satisfying hunger? In a movie I saw recently, Usthad Hotel, there was a hint to that question. “Food is not just about satisfying one’s hunger but mind too”. Yes, mom’s food always does that.

     

     Adding to this, there are also reasons related to place and habit of eating. In my childhood days, I didn't have separate place for cooking and eating. May it be cooking or eating, kitchen is the place. So, we enjoyed the taste of food, along with that freshness, aroma, sauté sound etc (multiple reception of taste through eyes, nose, and ears in addition to taste buds, which stimulates and enhances the taste). Now, dishes are moved from kitchen to dining table, only taste buds receive most taste but not the nose or eyes.  Food has to be sensed with all the senses viz sight, hearing, smell, touch (avoiding spoons) and taste. Notice the order, taste comes last.

     I have not had food for myself. Even if that’s my favorite dish I will have it only as much as I can have, considering the amount of food prepared and the rest of my family who hasn't had it. This helped to avoid overeating, which hampers the taste. Now, that habit of sharing with what’s available is gone. There is a question of, why not prepare more.

     I knew how to eat!! Yes, I chewed the food (taste buds receives more taste) and then swallowed that saliva – food mixture. I wasn’t thinking of my homework, when having food. Whereas now, I just gulp the food, straight to stomach, thinking of things that are undone.

     In short, before I was more like an epicure now turning into a glutton.

     Now, I think, I got the tip of the iceberg, about why mom’s food is the BEST. J