Write about food #My500Words #233

Today's 500 Words Challenge is to "confess an addiction to sweets or a nasty drinking habit. Of course, this isn't about just what we imbibe and consume; it's about life and conversation and the people we meet around the table". Today I have to write about food.

I grew up on a farm where my Mum always gave us super food. Sunday roasts were the best with all of us eager for the "crispy bits" from the beef. We were always fed well - unlike other people I have met over the years, we were never hungry in our house. My Mum ruled supreme in the kitchen (still does!) and she took no nonsense from us when we said "I don't like that..." - we ate our vegetables! Looking back, my Dad, my sister, and my two brothers were blessed with the best. In addition to the traditional Sunday roast I have very fond and delicious memories of scones, tea, tarts, bacon and cabbage, tea, curries with banana and coconut, roast potatoes, tea, Christmas dinners to die for, tea and sandwiches during the harvest, my sister Kathleen's Black Forest Gateau, tea, my Dad's porridge in the morning before school, tea, brown bread, stew (lots), custard, tea, trifle, plain and purl biscuits with cocoa at bedtime, and more tea. Fantastic memories of food when growing up in Ballingate. 

During my college years when I cooked for myself, my favourite (and easy) meal was 4 fried sausages (from a pack of 8), half a tin of beans, and spuds (lots). As I still had 4 more sausages and half a tin of beans - I had the same again the next day. I also ate lots of chips from the take-away.

In 1979 I met a girl who could cook - even better than my Mum. A curry started it all - the clincher was a lasagne, I was in love (with the girl - not the food silly!). Since then every day has been a gourmet experience.  Often I can come home on a Monday wondering what we will have for dinner - and suddenly I am a bit player (that's the guy who stirs stuff) in the preparation of a fantastic meal. I am the luckiest man in Ireland when it comes to food. 

And then my youngest daughter develops a talent for cooking - and tries her recipes out on me! Lucky man! Weight increase - hell yeah! Since she went to America for a work placement year I have lost a stone in weight - I love (and miss) her food. I am surrounded by top-class cooks - a man will never go hungry in my house.

The Hairy Bikers.
Image Source: www.hairybikers.com.

A confession about food and drink: I love wine. There - I said it, that's over with!

I am at my happiest sitting down at a table with Roma, Claire, Kate, and Vicki - whether it is a Chinese take-away (Crispy Chicken with Hot Honey Sauce), a pizza, a BBQ, or one of the girls' fantastic cooking extravaganzas - I love it. We have a TV in our kitchen and food programmes are on all the time. The current one is Donal Skehan's "Eat, Live, Go". I don't really pay much attention to this type of programme except when the Hairy Bikers are on - love those guys!