When was the last time you ate something that made you cry - in a good way? And no, I’m not talking about raw onions or about a meal that was so unspeakably awful that it made you sob uncontrollably, I mean have you ever eaten something that triggered this emotional response in you, either because of the context, the associated memories or the food itself?
I’ve done this precisely twice in my life – both times because the meal I was eating or the situation I was eating it in brought up strong yet warm memories of my late father. Once was while eating at Burger King in an airport, and the other was while eating breakfast at a diner on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan during my first solo visit there (this was also incidentally one of the best breakfasts of my life, and that had a little something to do with it too). Have you ever eaten something that was so amazing that it made you cry with joy?
I don’t think I’ve ever had a meal that affected me in such a deep emotional way.
In another context, though, I’ve had meals that made me cry, and expect to again soon. Our friends host an annual Hot Foods Party every winter, and one is coming up in a couple of weeks. Some people try to outdo each other in coming up with exquisitely hot seasonings.
Well I didn’t cry but it was close. Cafe Arazu in Newburgh, Indiana. I had a Gyro and Red Potatoes. The potatoes were indescribable. Every time I ate one my eyes involuntarily closed. We called them “Little bites of heaven”.
I went back and they weren’t the same. Somehow I got them just perfect the first time.
I’d still recommend the restaurant if you’re in the area.
Kouign Amann. I first discovered these in a little shop in the town of Menton, France (the last town in the French Riviera before the Italian border). I later discovered that they have a shop in Paris, and can even ship them to the U.S. The pastries are small, maybe 2.5-3 inches in diameter, and come in a variety of flavors. They are literally better than sex.
As the linked recipe says, “It is strictly forbidden to think about diets while you’re making a Kouign Amann.”
I had a cannoli from a shop in the North End of Boston that was so perfect and delicious that it had me pounding my fists on the table. Didn’t quite raise tears, but then maybe I wasn’t pounding on the table hard enough.
In the same way, I had a meal at Jasper’s in Kansas City made for my family by Jasper Mirabile, Jr himself that was one of the best single meals of my life, but again, I don’t recall tears. Now that I recall, it is possible the Limoncello they made raised tears, but that might have been due to the smoke coming out of my ears.
5 years ago I found a little Italian place that has a very run down interior and surprisingly good authentic Sicilian food. Think of the dumpy little private clubs you see in mob movies from the 60’s and 70’s, not the fancy joints. As I was describing to my daughter just how close the food and the environment were to meals I remember eating in my Grandmother’s basement on Sunday afternoons I had to excuse myself to go to the restroom so I wouldn’t make a bit of a scene.