It happens to us all. Catching a particular smell brings you back to another time, place, or even person. Themeals your grandmother used to make while you were growing up. An ex lover’s hair. The time you and your cousin spent the whole day at the fair trying every color of cotton candy to see if they tasted different.
Just like any other sudden rush of memory, almost any little thing can spark food nostalgia, though it can pop up seemingly out of the blue too. Recently, I was walking to the gym when memories of a meal I’d had at a restaurant about ten years ago popped into my head. I could almost taste the grilled mushrooms again, sitting atop similarly grilled polenta wedges. These were topped by an amazing (and as I’ve come to learn, amazingly simple) balsamic reduction. Altogether, not a complicated meal, but one which struck me powerfully in an instant and led to ongoing cravings ever since.
It doesn’t take many ingredients or a complex process to make really good food. Something that a person will suddenly recall and almost taste when that wisp of the experience suddenly rushes back. Even ten years later. As for me, I’ve resolved to recreate this mushroom and polenta dish on my own, and I’ll feature it here as soon as I do.
For those who would like to make something similar, there’s a mushroom and polenta recipe in the latest (Jan-Feb) issue of Everyday Food magazine. It doesn’t feature a balsamic reduction, but it looks good. The magazine arrived after my cravings had struck, but surely this would’ve also jogged my memory similarly.
