The Beginning

It is always best to start at the beginning.

This is me, aged roughly at 2 1/2 years old, enjoying a classic meal of hot dogs and yellow corn. . Please note the decorative woven paper plate holder and 70's wall decor. Also apparent in this moment is the intense interest that I have in devouring this bounty of boiled franks and nutrition-less canned vegetables. . I can still remember how this food tasted and the joy I felt of having it prepared for me...lovingly cut into toddler bite sized pieces by my mother, no doubt.. This was no gourmet meal, but one for the frugal and practical. It was a meal that most of us have eaten and a meal that most of us have probably tried to forget that we've eaten. These are the moments that start it all, an interest, a spark, a passion. The frozen memories that we have run hand in hand with the sights, tastes and smells of our favorite foods. And our new experiences mark occasions like calendar days of our lives. I can't recall what birthday gifts I received on my 30th, but I can tell you what I had for dinner. It was a grilled chicken salad from Cuban Revolution and I enjoyed it with my sister and brother in law. I remember it like it was yesterday....