I am one of those people who will say, without a doubt, I live to eat. In fact, I'd venture so far as to say that living to eat doesn't quite sum it up, because to me, living IS eating. If I had to rephrase that, it'd be:
" Eat to live or live to eat. To live is to eat."
As you can tell so far, and if you've read my blog posts, i'm pretty obsessed with food. Today, I'd just like to share with you my love of food, and perhaps tell an interesting story or two.
It is rather embarassing, but my earliest memory of my father is one of me and him at a hotel lobby in Italy, just waiting around and chilling. And yes, we were eating. I must have been about three years old or so, and I vaguely remember a hotel with black marble and glass doors, sitting in a cafe. But what I can remember very distinctly though, was the food we were having. We were having plain and simple, but fresh bread, with crushed olive and olive oil. That taste somehow lingers in my mind today, sixteen years later.
The second earliest memory I can recall is of me in a restaurant in Australia ( I think I was four or five), eating ( yet again) rice. I remember being disgusted by the unfamiliar texture and feel of Australian cooked rice, and wanting a bowl of nasi instead. Haha. And then another memory, of me in China ( 8 years old?) pointing at a Beijing barbecued dog meat restaurant, wanting to give it a try. Haha.
Somehow or rather, all my childhood memories are about food. I find it amazing that I do not remember Disneyland ( Paris, where I apparently kissed a random French girl), Waterworld ( Australia), or the Forbidden City. Food, glorious food always. The Elvis Presley song comes to mind:
Quite as good as I should have
Maybe I didn't love you
Quite as often as I could have
Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
Food creeps into my daily life. I think 80% of all arguments in my family are about food, usually about where to eat, what to eat, how much to order, who gets what portion. My mother says I will end up marrying whoever can cook well. Hmph. When I meet up with friends, it usually goes something like this:
Before the meeting
Ring ring!
Me: Hey! What's up?
K: Nothing much. You wanna catch lunch?
Me: Sure, where?
K: Ah I have a new place to recommend, this place called "Ridiculously Yummy and Cheap Food"
Me: Are you sure it's any good? I remember the last restaurant you recommended, so much hype and so disappointing.
K: No no no, this time it's for real. They have this dish.... check this blog... food review... 4 stars...
( half an hour later)
Me: Ok fine then, see you there!
During the meeting
munch munch chomp chomp
Me: This dish is really good. But the food at "Even more ridiculously cheap and yummy food" restuarant is even better.
K: No no no. I know this other place, which is even better...
( eating lunch while comparing other lunches at other places)
One hour later...
After meeting
Me: Mmm that was pretty good. But the next time we must try this other restaurant at this other place...
K: Oh yes and the next next time we must eat this dish at this place...
( one hour later of talking about the next next next next dinner/ lunch/ breakfast/ tea).
Hehe.. I talk about food all the time, and think about it all the time because I love food. They say the kingdom of heaven is in every man, and well not so sound blasphemous but I completely agree- once that piece of the kingdom is in my belly!
My mother also said that my wife will be a sad woman, even if she can cook well, because her food will be my first love. ( my mom says many things, not all of them true). While I think this is a case of exaggeration, I can't deny that in this material world- food keeps me happy. Whenever I am in a bad mood, no matter how bad things get, all I need to do is eat some good food at my favourite restaurant, and voila! The world is alright once more!
So there you have it, my raison d'être, my love, my life. Long live food!
