Tag: life

The Art of ‘WichCraft, Pt.3: Family Traditions

I grew up with a pretty close family that spent holidays and special occasions together. The meal and the food served was always very central to any occasion.

“I once went to a restaurant and ordered a chicken salad sandwich and an egg salad sandwich to see which would come first.” – Fuad Alakbarov, Exodus 

Let me return to a more current history, and of course,  sandwiches. If you recall from part 1, three of my most vivid memories from childhood involve food. I do have more than three vivid memories from childhood, and not all involve food, but many do.

Why is that? Is it because of the multiple senses involved that strengthen the memory? Is it the emotions attached to the events occurring when consuming the food? Is it the people that are there when the food is consumed, adding to the intensity of the shared experience? Or perhaps it is that I am just that obsessed with food?  If it is the latter, I would ask how I acquired this obsession? When did I acquire it? Maybe it is simply a combination of it all. Whatever the case, cause, and origin, I have a deep love for food, and those that I share it with make it even better.

So, let me take you back a bit in time. I grew up with a pretty close family that spent holidays and special occasions together. The meal and the food served was always very central to any occasion. From the Easter ham to the Thanksgiving family stuffing, to the Christmas Eve Seafood to the Corned Beef & Cabbage on St Patrick’s Day. For the most part, these meals were the same every year. They were traditional. Some of the traditions  started before my time and were passed through the generations. Others were started by my generation. To this day we still have the meal on many holidays and our kids now share the love, and obsession, of the holiday menu. The meals that changed annually were typically Easter & Christmas Day, which in itself became a tradition.

Let me not forget about the birthday dinners. As a child it was always about “what do you want for your birthday”, “what do you want to do?” That evolved into “what do you want for your birthday dinner”? The birthday celebrant was given the privilege to choose the menu to be cooked for them on the Sunday Dinner closest to their birthday. 

Sunday dinners, another long-standing tradition, provide enough memories to fill a hefty book. The food, the family, and the friends – what fond memories.

Many of the friends and family are no longer with us but the memories remain, as fond as ever. My great Uncle John, who would join us Sundays after Tata Ann passed away. My Uncle Dave with his eyebrows, cigars, financial advice, and Roquefort Steak. Uncle Gary with his jokes, infectious laughter, and shenanigans. Grandma and Grandpa Janich with his stories and her artichoke dip.  The list goes on as my parent’s home was an open, safe place for all to join. Anyone could enter and join us as there was always an open seat with the guarantee of a warm meal and a hot cup of coffee, and maybe a little something sweet.

I simply can’t express the love, the gratitude, the flavors, the aromas, the tradition, and the history that the meals and those people created for me.

This has to be the reason I love food and love to create it and share it with others even more. Our home has become the host, the place where most celebrations take place, Sunday dinners continue, where there is always an open, and most importantly, where the traditions continue to live and grow.

What does this have to do with sandwiches? I am afraid I have rambled on for too long so I’ll have to explain next time. 

Talk Soon,
Kevin
@coldfire_kev
@coldfire.coffee
@coldfire_hotsauce
kevin@coldfirecoffee.com

The Art of ‘WichCraft, Pt.2: From Wence Came The ‘Wich?

Just think of all the things you can do without letting hunger stop you. You can hike, you can fish, you can even gamble if you wish.

“Sandwiches are wonderful. You don’t need a spoon or a plate” -Paul Lynde 

Before I get too deep or find myself, sandwiched between my thoughts from which I cannot escape, I would like to give thanks where thanks are due.

To whom do I thank for such a practical and delicious creation? There is often a debate on who invented the sandwich, but the consensus gives credit to the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu in 1762. Well then, John, your nobleness, thank you for your contribution to the culinary world.

I am quite sure that many civilisations prior to the time of our noble earl of Sandwich used a breadlike vehicle or two to eat their food but our friend John Montagu gets the credit.

The story has it that our nobleman was quite the profligate and gambler; I like him already. This story excites me more than an ancient tribe in loin cloth consuming the spoils of their hunt between two starchy, carby ancient grainy type things. So, it is said that our gambler was on a twenty four hour run at the table and became hungry. Understandable, that’s a long time to do anything without food. Our 4th Earl asked the cook to prepare food he could eat that would not hinder his gambling. What was presented was two pieces of toast with sliced meat in between. Genius!

That really begs the questions, did John really invent the sandwich or did the cook? For the sake of diplomacy, I will thank them both – Thank John Montagu and the nameless cook that satisfieth his hunger.

Just think of all the things you can do without letting hunger stop you. You can hike, you can fish, you can even gamble if you wish. You make your own and drive straight through, or grab one from the drive-through. Whatever it is you want to do, you can do it better with a sandwich or two.

So, to whomever invented the sandwich I am eternally grateful. If they never did, who knows what I would have walked in on my dad and uncle making for a midnight snack that fateful night. The bite that started it all could have been a disgusting bowl of porridge! My dad was known to enjoy a bowl of that too.  For now, I will thank you Earl of Sandwich John Montagu, for your gambling addiction that eventually led to my love for one the greatest foods of all, and the spark that lit the fire that would eventually ignite my passion to cook.

Talk Soon,
Kevin
@coldfire_kev
@coldfire.coffee
@coldfire_hotsauce
kevin@coldfirecoffee.com