Tuesday, July 17, 2007

First Memorable Food Experience




I distinctly remember tasting something magical when I was in the eighth grade. I was in Hawaii with my junior high best friend. One night, her dad and step-mom had us meet them at a seaside restaurant. Looking out into the Pacific, we gathered around a wicker table. My friend’s father ordered a dozen oysters—something I’d never had. Of course, all of my sophisticated hosts had eaten them before, and were excited for me to partake. The freezing cold saucer arrived and the waiter placed it in the center of the table. Everyone explained the mignonette, the horseradish, the cocktail sauce, and the lemon wedge. I dressed mine simply with lemon as was suggested. They pantomimed the ritual: raising bivalve to the mouth, easing the meat from the shell, and then slurping it down. I did just that and woooosh! A burst of the ocean was sliding down my throat. It was exhilarating. The creamy texture matched against the salty water in which it rested. I was hooked.


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