i think food memories are some of the strongest because of the number of senses they evoke: of course taste and sight, often smell, and sometimes even touch and sound. for me, these memories also tend to circle back to the holidays. maybe it's because so much extra planning and care is involved in preparing for special occasions, or maybe it's because they remind you of long-standing traditions, or even just because everything tastes better when you're simply happy and surrounded by the people you love.
either way, i find that my reminiscing of all the delicious meals i've had in winters past is what excites me most about the approaching holiday season. turning christmas stockings upside down and watching a seemingly endless stream of goodies pile out always, without fail, makes my heart a little happier. but nothing beats the sweet smell and sticky sugar coating of the bubble bread that my mom bakes religiously every december 25th morning.
as thanksgiving begins to tease me with its impending arrival, i thought there'd be no better way to celebrate than by stimulating these senses with the recipes that delight them most.
when i think of my aunt peggy's caramel corn, a staple at mock family christmas, my mind immediately takes me to the way the smooth, glasslike coating feels in the palm of my hand. you can practically feel the silkiness of the butter on your fingertips as you pop it in your mouth between rounds of taboo. and while i'm usually not big on popcorn, this variation is too difficult to resist.
reverting back to the idea that so much of the holiday season is about togetherness, i found no better way to reflect that than by sharing the finished product with those members of my (albeit unrelated) family who aren't with me in a physical sense, but are constants in my life nonetheless.
dig your hands into a pile of those golden kernels and see for yourself! you know you want to...
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