photo: Design Inc.caEverything you read with regards to cooking and entertaining says that the prettier the presentation of the food, the better it tastes. I guess I took it to be true, because THEY said it is...but is it really?? I just got back from an impromptu camping trip to the most beautiful oceanside spot (I'll tell you about it later) and since it's nearly impossible to worry about proper serving dishes and tablecloths when camping, I inadvertently put the theory to the test!
Back at the campground, after we had packed up our camper to leave and debated whether we should go into town for a sit-down lunch, we ended up just ordering hotdogs from the canteen at the campground. We don't eat a lot of hotdogs in the run of a year, but since we were on vacation and had already indulged in vacation mentality eating, we bought one each. We sat on a long bench together with our cans of pop, looking out onto the ocean and everyone murmuring that it was the best hotdog ever. I looked over at my husband and asked him if we had just made a new "food memory" to take the place of his childhood one. He smirked and said dryly, "Spending $20 on hotdogs and pop doesn't qualify as a happy memory for me..." Sooo typical of my "canny Scotsman!!"
My husband has a really special memory from a childhood camping trip. It occurred when he and his family were on the tail end of a week-long camping trip and money was getting low. They were touring around their destination and didn't want to splurge on a restaurant meal (I can relate...). So, they stopped at a little convenience store and his mum went in and purchased a package of ham slices, a loaf of (white) bread, some cans of Coke, and a few mustard packets from the deli section. They made and ate the sandwiches right in the car and, he asserts, they were the tastiest sandwiches he ever ate in his life!! Nothing fancy, but delicious all the same...
Because our camping trip was quite last-minute, I basically threw some meal ingredients in the little camper fridge, figuring we'd pick up the rest when we arrived in the small town we were heading to. We ended up eating at a fun diner-style restaurant called Large Marge (sounds clairvoyant, doesn't it? ) and had fresh fish and home-made french fries. Always a hit when on vacation, no?? They had a vintage jukebox from which we listened to four songs for 25 cents!! The presentation of the food was informal but authentic to the style of the restaurant and definitely added to our dining experience. Did it taste any better? I don't think so...how do you improve on home-made french fries with vinegar and salt??
Off to the grocery store we headed to pick up our supper supplies. I had the great idea of buying ingredients to make our very own sub sandwiches. The kids were thrilled (subs are a favourite) and happy to have their very own can of pop...no sharing. In this case, the presentation was nil as we all made our own, but honestly, the fresh air combined with the spontaneity of it all made it a very satisfying supper. Maybe even a special "food memory" for our kids...
In our everyday lives, we almost always sit down to dinner together. I set the table (though not fancy), but we light candles and add placemats only on Sundays. Sunday dinner for me was always special growing up and extra effort was made ( I always volunteered to set the table "pretty"). In most cases, everything did taste better with the extra fuss, but maybe it was actually the fact that we were all together at the table...enjoying our mother's good cooking and each other's company (usually!!). Maybe, instead of focusing on the aesthetics of the meal, we need to concentrate more on our "guests", whether they be family or friends. I know myself, when I fuss too much, I can get grumpy and go into perfectionist mode. Then nobody's happy...in fact, it probably leaves a bit of a bitter taste in everyone's mouth!!
Back at the campground, after we had packed up our camper to leave and debated whether we should go into town for a sit-down lunch, we ended up just ordering hotdogs from the canteen at the campground. We don't eat a lot of hotdogs in the run of a year, but since we were on vacation and had already indulged in vacation mentality eating, we bought one each. We sat on a long bench together with our cans of pop, looking out onto the ocean and everyone murmuring that it was the best hotdog ever. I looked over at my husband and asked him if we had just made a new "food memory" to take the place of his childhood one. He smirked and said dryly, "Spending $20 on hotdogs and pop doesn't qualify as a happy memory for me..." Sooo typical of my "canny Scotsman!!"** thought I'd leave you with a picture of a meat pie I made last week one rainy day. I was getting tired of BBQ-ing chicken and burgers. We still had salad, but the pie was a welcome break. I don't know if it qualifies as fancy, but I always poke a heart shape into my pies for my family. I must ask them if it improves the flavour...
