Edible friends

I have discovered a good way to think about friends regularly is to associate them with food. I have been doing it for a long time now without realising it but recently two events  opened my eyes to this rather curious habit. Let me explain!! Example one I was in the supermarket and I saw crumbed sausages. Instantly I  laughed out loud, lucky no-one heard, and remembered Sue who I flatted with in Hokitika. Every so often we would have a meal of crumbed sausages because I think Sue was particularly fond of them. It became a joke between us because she liked them but to me they were like rubber bullets to eat. Not that I have ever eaten rubber bullets.

The second example was the day I found out Aunty originally from Kolkata had died in Tauranga. I had just been up to her 80th birthday party but a few weeks later she departed this world. I moped around all day at work, knowing I would not be able to make it to the memorial service but wanting to acknowlege the input she had had in my life. So I decided to make a curry for tea. I had beef in the freezer but I knew Aunty would not eat beef so I bought some chicken. I made the curry and some roti and remembered Aunty. It was a great curry and I almost dared wonder whether it would have passed Aunty's high standard of currying excellence.

Now I stop and realise this is what I do heaps of examples flood into my mind. I have a cup of earl grey tea and have a flashback to times when I shared a cup with Jen who is now on the other side of the world. George and pernod, Kim and avocado, Lochumlo and green beans, Gayleen and roti, Annie and cheesecake, Heidi, Raja and marsala, Olly and dahl, Marianne and hummus, Catherine and sticky rice, the list is endless.

I am separated from most of my friends who are spread throughout New Zealand and the world but they seem very close when I eat something that reminds me of them. And I guess if you can't be with people the next best thing is remembering the great times you have shared many of them over food.