Saturday, June 5

My life in Food

My daughter just graduated high school. In this community, the weeks before and after graduation are filled with open houses celebrating the graduates. My daughter's will be held this week.

Besides cleaning the house and making sure the yard is ready for a garden party, the most daunting task is figuring out what food to serve. My hours of contemplating this question got me thinking about what an important role food plays in the big moments of our lives.

Besides the obvious holiday fare, our family even has traditional foods for certain occasions. For my birthday, for instance, my husband and kids will always make something (anything) grilled, corn on the cob and watermelon. My daughter makes key lime pie every father's day. Thanksgiving means pumpkin cheesecake (I can't stand the texture of pumpkin pie.) Christmas eve we make a huge batch of clam chowder (don't ask me why.) When one of us older kids come home, my mom makes her famous apple pancakes.

Food is there for the down times, too. Funerals in my in-law's circle means a luncheon of ham and (I am not making this up) "funeral potatoes." Ice cream and best friends is the salve for a broken heart. Chocolate has always been there for other slumps and blues.

What about you? Does food play an important role in your life? Do you have any food traditions?

6 comments:

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

yes I am an emotional eater. sad, happy, silly, grateful. You name the mood - Ill eat for it. :)

Wendy Toliver said...

I went to a wedding yesterday (my cousin's) and have one next weekend (my dad's) -- both small-town and casual. I always enjoy seeing the traditions that come into play. Seems like punch is a staple, as well as chocolate covered strawberries, raw veggies and dip, and nuts.

Wendy Toliver said...

Oops, forgot to say congrat's to your daughter!

Sara Hantz said...

I'm an emotional eater, too. Can eat for England given the opportunity.

Congrats to you daughter!

Lauren Baratz-Logsted said...

My food tradition is to eat lots of things I enjoy. Congratulations to your daughter!

Amanda Ashby said...

Wow, that's so cool that you're daughter has graduated high school! We don't have many food traditions though my daughter loves my homemade pizza so that her standard answer every time I ask her what she wants to eat!!!