Cravings

Sunday 4pm

Do you get cravings for different foods ? Flavours like the biting zingy artificiality of salt and vinegar crisps perhaps or the citrus creaminess of a crumbly lancashire cheese. Or different textures perhaps like the velvety smooth richness of pumpkin soup or even the glutinous feel of a cuppa soup that can be made and burning your mouth in the time it takes to boil the kettle at work. And beer - a glassfull of honey coloured Deuchars India Pale Ale, my favourite beer - smoothly creamy and bitter served in a straight glass cold against my fingers and lips and the beer colder as it slides across my tongue. (Founders Tall Blonde is my favourite NZ beer so far) I think it is my body's way of telling me what it needs. As Autumn turns to Winter and the air begins to chill I turn to soups, stews and lots more carbohydrates. As mid winter passes and the days get imperceptibly longer I suddenly need the crunchiness of raw vegetables as well - a crunchy coleslaw of cabbage, carrots and apple. In Spring and Summer things lighten up, salads reign supreme of course dressed lightly with oil and lemon juice. Meat is flashed quickly past the barbecue and served red and bloody, full of vitality and life. But there is so much more. We grow up with food. ( it is difficult not to ) it can evoke feelings and memories just as easily as poetry and music. Soup always comforts me. Fish and Chips as well, bought takeaway on the way home remind me of coming home late from work to just the cat and a cold house, too tired to do anything except get into bed and eat and read a book, sharing with the cat of course ! From the first meal out with Nicola (Indian) to family Christmases (roast beef) to solitary luxuries (risotto), food is life.