Ah, food and the world (of food) … having grown up with two incredible cooks, my mother and grandmother ( and all from mostly homegrown fruit and vegetables too), I used that as an ‘excuse’ to not become a cook (could never do it right for them anyway…). - But not as an excuse to not love food  - and luckily I married, for a while, a Southern gentleman who cooked real well … and have travelled (not yet enough) to have tasted some pretty far out, wonderful food.

But there is one memory of incredible meals that has very much to do with the environment it originated in (just as Joan and Phyllis pointed out here before!)

As a student in the 70’s I worked a summer job as a maid at a small inn on a ‘fattoria’ in Tuscany … an easy job in an extraordinary beautiful place! But most memorable were the meals! The owner, the Austrian widow of an Italian landowner, was an amazing cook. Everything came from the farm and vineyards - the meats was prepared in age-old stone ovens, the pastas were handmade in a separate kitchen by a group of black-clad old Italian ladies, and there were hunters, vintners and farm-workers, the cast and crew of a veritable movie set, characters all of them. And the meals for the staff were made as fresh as the ones for the guests (no left-overs for our gang) … and among those guests were actors from Germany and prominent Italian families from nearby Florence. I felt like I had landed in a dream … actually, I do sometimes dream of that place - and that amazing Italian food! - and even wonder if it all was a dream … I have never been back to the Fattoria Di Caldeta …

Yet the most recent incredible meal was almost the opposite, again as memorable for the place as for the great taste: simplicity itself on a Caribbean beach in the remotest Costa Rican village - beach shack food: a piece of freshly caught fish with rice and avocado … 

Hmmmm.

I love to cook, so mealtime at my home is always time for me to play in my favorite room.  But the last incredible meal?

Probably the best I’ve ever EVER had was when I was about 5 years old.  My parents, who at that point could only be termed as Certifiably Insane, decided to take my 5 older brothers and sisters and me on a road trip, from our home in CA to Canada (I think we got as far as Whistler, but maybe only Vancouver). 

Have you ever been in a Winnebego for three weeks (it seemed like longer, it may have even been shorter, I was five!) with eight people?  Not fun.

After trying to run away in the North Beach area in San Francisco (well, actually south of there.  I think I escaped right around the Carol Doda strip joint… it took them awhile to find me), they proceeded to drive the clan up 101.  I think that’s when I get really good at reading.

We stopped to camp at this one place in WA state one day though.  We are not "a camping type" family, but that day was so incredible for me.  My brothers and father went out and caught fresh salmon and we grilled them on an itty bitty fire outside in the summer (NO PLACE does summer like WA!) and later, Mom got out the marshmallows and we toasted those up too.

I can still taste that salmon…and it’s still my favorite food.

(PS: I’ve had lots of good food since, all over the world, but that one was my favorite!)

Eating is not "food" to me it is LIFE and has been a major part of my marriage and family. From the time my recipe for "Sausage and Lentil Soup" was published in Gourmet 35 years ago, to an hour ago when my son & I planned what we want to cook together for Mother’s Day. Maybe it comes from my Italian father and the feasts with his family of 11, where the meal was the focus of the family and the excuse to spend hours at the table laughing and eating … and even as a child being allowed to have some of Grampa’s homemade wine - watered down of course.

I’ve known people who see food as just food, a chore, any old thing will do, but not me, it is an orgasm you can have in public.

My favorite meal, I couldn’t possibly pick one. I’ve eaten in wonderful restaurants around the world and been served personally by the best chefs in the state. I’ve reveled in preparing meals with my sons who have picked up my passion, or spent 3 days preparing a meal for friends and watched in pleasure as they coo with Mmmmm’s

A wonderful recent meal, on vacation 2 weeks ago in St Martin, sitting by the side of the street in Grand Case eating Ribs, beans & rice and cole slaw, drinking Presidente Beer with 2 other couples we have known since High School. Simple, fresh, wonderful ! 

A dear friend took me to eat at Melisse in Santa Monica last year and it was just spectacular.  From the amuse bouche of a deep fried olive stuffed with something delectable to the lobster foam to the lamb three ways and some insane chocolate concoction for dessert, each course was artful and delectable.  Of course no meal is truly enjoyable without good company and good surroundings, and these were both in abundance.  The chef came to the table to be sure we were happy and I believe I gushed. 

Later I found out that the place had Michelin stars and was thought by some to be the best restaurant in L.A.  I don’t know; I haven’t eaten in every restaurant in L.A.  I just know that this was a wonderful meal, a great experience.  

The meals everyone is describing sound wonderful.  I do think that food tastes better when shared with someone you love.

It wasn’t in a restaurant, and we didn’t even have plates!

I went with my husband on a business trip to Canada a couple of years ago - a small town in New Brunswick, to be exact.  There are a handful of shops in town that sell lobster straight from the Bay of Fundy, almost as fresh as it can get.  One of these shops was just down the street from my hubby’s jobsite, so I passed it at least twice a day.  I finally stopped in one afternoon to have a look-see and ended up spending 2 hours while Dave the owner gave me a primer on all things lob-sta.  It was totally fascinating.  I made an appointment to pick up two boiled 1 1/2 pounders on our last night in Canada.  The husband and I were there at the appointed time.  Dave had a box already lined with newspaper waiting for us.  He plucked the lobsters from the boiler, threw them in the box with silly plastic bibs and plastic picks and off we went!  We ended up eating on a towel in our hotel room, with some nice wine, fresh cherries, and smoked gouda and crackers.  That was it:  no fancy cuisine, no waiters, no gourmet anything.  But it was the best meal of my life … thus far.  We’re going back next year for our anniversary.  Hey Dave the Lobster Guy, we’re coming! 

I didn’t grow up in a cooking family, but my parents did garden, and we had the most amazing sweet corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe. I’m drooling thinking of that produce. One of the best things was a salad made with home-grown leaf lettuce, sweet baby peas, and spring onions with a sour cream/vinegar/cayenne dressing.

 The best single meal I ever ate was a simple steak and potato, with a glass of Maker’s Mark bourbon to sip beforehand. It was so incredible because it was cooked over an open fire after a long day’s trekking in the Colorado Rockies. The tiredness, combined with the altitude and cold, fresh air made for incredible appetite and appreciation of the food. And there was a moose mother and baby calmly eating water plants in a lake just yards away. I never could believe just how great that meal was.

My favorite restaurant ever was a hole-in-the-wall seafood place just off a night market in Taipei. Super fresh, perfectly cooked food, sweet lady owner. Unfortunately, it closed down when the owner retired. Still crave it when I want to eat out.