Wednesday 7 November 2012

Talking About Firsts


Before I pick up my list this week, and head off to the shops, I thought I'd tell you today where thinking about food shopping has led me. A couple of you are considering counting personal food mountains in November; but I have another idea for anyone who likes to make a journaling list:

Food Firsts

Food Firsts. When I looked at my receipts, and saw what I buy every week, pictures of some of my favourite foods started appearing before my eyes - and it was just a short leap to a list of food firsts:


The first time I

  • ate candy floss. at Windsor Safari Park on a school trip when I was ten. it has turned into a life long passion.
  • enjoyed a slice of pizza. Somewhere in New England when I was seventeen. I didn't realise how hot it would be and I burned the roof of my mouth.
  • ate in a Chinese restaurant. When one finally came to town in time for my eighteenth birthday. Everyone had their birthday at the same place that year.
  • tried yoghurt. In France on that exchange trip I'm always talking about. Also the setting for my first taste of cereal with hot milk. I haven't repeated that one.
  • discovered "sausage on a stick". In Los Angeles in 2003.
  • cooked a meal for entertaining in my own kitchen. It was lasagne and caramelised peaches from my farmhouse Cookery book, for my brother and sister, a few days after I got back from honeymoon.
  • ate food cooked on a campfire. Probably a Silver Jubilee Guide Camp. Hot dogs and soup in a plastic mug, personalised with nail varnish initials painted on the bottom.
  • made a Christmas dinner. The first year I was married, on the old cooker we found and cleaned up when we moved into our house. It was ancient then, but it lasted for years.
  • tried clam chowder. In Cape Cod on our big he's-passed-his-exams-and now-he's-a-real-accountant trip.
  • realised that not choosing Home Economics at school really was the right choice for me. This morning, as I waved The (Not So) Small One off with the biggest bag of cookery exam practical equipment you have ever seen. Best of luck!
and that's my list. For now. If I remember any other good ones I can always come back...



A "firsts" list, I discovered, can tell you more about yourself than you might think. It was easy to jot down; but now it's there, it has cast up some other ideas. It's a list to interpret. Anything jumping out at you? You can tell that I didn't grow up in the city - I was eighteen before Chinese food reached us - and that sweets were a rare treat - I didn't taste candy floss until I was ten.

I'm going to investigate a few more firsts and see where they take me, I think. How about a travel list (first time on roller skates, anyone?) or clothes (first high heels? first lipgloss?) or Christmas. Maybe a list of Christmas firsts is where I'll start.

I looked for a photo to go with my list today and I discovered I don't have many of food. I probably eat too quickly. But, funnily, about ten minutes later on Pinterest up popped a link to 10 tips for food photography and styling, which you can find here at drizzleanddip.com, and which I quickly pinned to my board of random usefulness Filed Away Under Useful. It's a lucky dip of I-might-need-this-sometimes-and-now-I-know-where-to-find-it. You never know, there might be something on there you need too!

Which brings me to the Storytelling Sunday Board and my thanks to everyone who joined in this month. It's not too late! The linky stays open all week and you are very welcome to post your story any day until Sunday. As ever, it's a pleasure to travel round and read your posts and the comments your stories have received. Thank you!

32 comments:

helena said...

love it. My first aemrican style pizza was when I was 18 and we were so excited at the idea of choosing our toppings that we ordered all of them - and then the next day I had my first experience of cold left over pizza for breakfast

Amy said...

Your post today reminds me of how many things I want to get down/scrap - there are so many little things that make up a good life and an interesting story.

Mary B said...

when I was a kid I tried and really loved candy floss, I tried some again as an adult and yuk it was horrible, how can ones taste change so much lol

Unknown said...

I can't really think of many food first. I am the product of an American mom, Australian dad (whose best friend was Italian), Grandma was a missionary all over the world (but mostly Asian and Pacific Islands), and lots of my mom's friends were Asian. So I remember eating all sorts of things all the time. I think I was very lucky looking back on it now.
But I do remember the first time I had crocodile and ostrich. :D Both of which were delicious.

furrypig said...

I wish I had a good memory! I cannot recall when I first had pizza or candy floss! But like Chipper I can remember eating some of the more unusual 'food' like alligator, kudu, wart hog and a mopane worm!!! I think this should e a scrapbook page too!

Susanne said...

Oh, what a great monthly blog series this would make - to be posted, of course, on the 1st. What struck me about your list today was how many firsts were over here instead of over there (that is, unless there are places named the same over there as over here). Great post, Sian.

Cheri said...

I know I can't specifically recall that many "firsts." About the only one that jumps out at me is first kiss and that was a rather awful experience!

Barbara Eads said...

We call "candy floss" cotton candy. It was only a carnival treat. I read recently that if you are trying to watch your calories at the fair, that's the treat you should pick. It's pure sugar, but a small amount is spun very "big." I haven't had it any time recently, but I think I would still like it.

Lou said...

This is a lovely idea Sian - maybe something for STS in 2013. Every month a first (of something).......!?!

I am so glad someone else remembers Windsor Safari Park (now Legoland). I feel really old when i refer to it lol!! x

Sandra said...

What a lovely post and those 1st's really got me thinking :), although had to laugh, I think I must be the only person who has they're cereal with hot milk lol

scrappyjacky said...

What a great list,Sian....but I'm amazed you can recall all those firsts.....I certainly couldn't....I could probably do a travel one though.

Miriam said...

Oh she of the great ideas ! love it. I'll give this a try. Thanks Sian

Mel said...

A great idea for a blog post or layout. Pepperoni pizza is one of my guilty pleasures!

Fiona@staring at the sea said...

I also remember Windsor Safari Park, so I must be old too! A little co-incidence for you. I visited the park while staying with the family of the little girl in my STS post. Her parents ran a caravan park in Windsor. Another lover of candy floss and I even have a machine to make it at home. So may things that jump out from your list my comment could be as long as your post!

Kirsty.A said...

Good list

Alison said...

Love the list, but I don't think I can remember many of my 'firsts' either!
Alison xx

Maria Ontiveros said...

Sian,
I love this post! There's so much food for thought in it. As a new mother, I dutifully noted each of Henry and Clara's "firsts." It would be great to document some of my own. Oooh, I just had an idea, that would be a great theme for Story Telling Sunday, wouldn't it?
Rinda

Irene said...

Lists of Firsts? This is a great idea Sian to send me off down memory lane. The first time I had tripe springs to mind. A Lancashire speciality. There were tripe shops everywhere. It was also a 'last time'. I loathed it!
I love your food list. It conjures up life's journey with added ingredients.

Karen said...

Love this list, and it brought to mind (once again) how poor my memory is for such things. I should have written it all down!

Sue Althouse said...

Great post, love the memories that are now floating in my head. I was in high school when our small town finally got a McDonald's. And my mother tells the story of sitting next to her grandfather the first time he ate shrimp. She had to tell him not to eat the tails!

Jennifer Shaw said...

Love this idea of a list of firsts! Great journal idea!

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

Now I am trying to remember the first time I ever had cotton candy (floss) and the only thing that comes to mind is the first time I had salt water taffy at the beach when I was a kid. I remember making cotton candy at my summer job when I was 14. Bees and stick sugar everywhere. It was a carnival treat & there were not that many carnivals...

Missus Wookie said...

cotton candy/floss is called papa's beard in French which I always find funny.

I'm with Chipper I can't remember when I ate some regular stuff but I remember being told the first time I ate weird stuff like snake :)

Melissa said...

What a fun lists of food firsts! I might have to give it a try because right off the top of my head I can't really think of that many - maybe I've just been too spoiled! LOL

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

I love this idea for a post, Sian! And I'm sitting here thinking about my firsts on food...would have to think about that... As an American, I grew up on pizza and even though I can't tell you the FIRST time I ate it, I do remember the first time I ate some that was so good I still remember it! And I think I was about 7 years old at the time.

Doug would appreciate meal time in your house! So many times I make him wait to eat so I can take pictures. I use a lot of our meal photos in my Project Life. :o)

Jimjams said...

Great food for thought here!
I too can remember my first taste of Ostrich (& Shark) ... and also the first time I was *made* to eat my dinner :o(

Ginger said...

I think the first time I ate pizza was the store bought box that contains the dry dough mix and pizza sauce with the dry spices. You have just made me remember something I loved to do with my mom as a child :)

Funny, as I was reading through your firsts I thought - how the heck can she remember all these, but I'm sure if we all take some time we can come up with a list as long as yours!

Great post Sian :)

Lisa-Jane said...

That's a great list and it has prompted many memories and a lot of inspiration for me which I am feeling particularly short of right now - not great timing for my course! Chinese at 18?! I dread to think how young I was when I first became addicted!

Anonymous said...

What a nifty post this one is! Your list reminds me how much we link our memories to the food we enjoy (or sometimes hate). Thanksgiving is just around the corner here in the States--a celebration of family, food, and football. It is absolutely my favorite holiday of the year because of the food (and non-food) traditions we enjoy each year.

humel said...

Intriguing idea :) As others have said, I can't really remember my first pizza/Chinese/candy floss, but I can certainly remember trying root beer and corn dogs (neither are experiences I want to repeat!) I know I have photos of these but I don't think I've scrapped them yet, so thank you for reminding me :)

Jo said...

This is a great list, it's reminded me of how my dad used to give us cornflakes with hot milk, yuk!

Anonymous said...

What a neat idea for a post. Gosh I can't remember the first time I had chinese or pizza but I do know where I would have had candy floss - the one and only time - it was just too sweet for me. Thanks for the linkup on the food photography. I'll be heading over to my pinterest board to put it on there (now to just remember my password, lol).

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