Five Things I Miss Eating

Filed in archive Food for Thought on March 18, 2006

The last post reminded me of my days in Rome living la dolce vita. Well, trying to live the sweet life while working to the bone. The memories led me to remember other places I've been to and of course the food I ate. Indulge me just this time. :-) Here are a few of what I miss eating, in no particular order:

• Gelato. Nothing, absolutely nothing comes close to homemade gelato sold in quaint shops. I was often asked how long I've been in the city and when they found out I was only on a short assignment, an extra scoop (or two at times!) was complimentary. Wasn't that sweet? Even the memory is guaranteed to always make me smile.


• Vegemite. Melbourne in the winter may not have been the best place for a first trip to Australia but what made each morning worth waking up to was the thought of having some freshly squeezed orange juice (I must've been after the sun), a fruit platter to follow some buttered toast with Vegemite. The saltiness gently woke up my palate to take in the heavy breakfast I needed for the day's activities. Before that trip I had no idea what it was but a proper introduction by an Aussie colleague had me hooked.


• Dates. Not just any, I want to have those I pick from under the date palm in an Israeli kibbutz. Ripe but still crunchy, sweet but not cloyingly so. All I had to do was wipe them then eat! Perfect for munching on my way to the mess hall or the classrooms.


• Thai street food. Sweet and savoury, hot and spicy, sour and pungent. Skewered, served in leaves, in bowls or brown paper bags. Noodles, meat, rice cakes, bread. Name it, it's there. I have fond memories of stepping out of my hotel in the early evening and indulging in anything sold. Guessing what's in it is half the fun. ;-)


• Back to Rome with plums! Those juicy globules of delight from the fruterias near the Vatican. I've had plums elsewhere but those were the best. Nectar-sweet and crisp as you bite, the flesh is juicy and tender inside. I am not sure if what I'm dreaming of are still the fruits or the thought of eating them on my way to stroll around the Castel Sant' Angelo, reveling at the lights and the ambience of the eternal City. Oh how I'd love to eat those plums again.

I can go on with more items but I should stop now. Writing that down made me hungry. Good thing I have some Marmite in the cupboard.