What makes a meal memorable? Over the years of my travels I’ ve had many memorable meals in cities all over the world. Some of them have been in Michelin three-star restaurants, while others have been in dining places that Michelin must never have found, for in my opinion, they were every bit the equivalent of the three-star supremes.
But not all of my best dining memories are associated with restaurants. Some recall remarkably fine food from street vendors in Thailand; others the improvised kitchens of town markets in Mexico. Many were in my own kitchen at home.
I’m don’t claim to be anything but an average cook. And I’m not above serving food that’s come prepared from a shop or caterer. No, what made the meals in my kitchen memorable were the people who were there, the things we talked about, an event we might have been celebrating or something that made it a happy occasion for everyone.
Which leads me to make a general statement: truly memorable meals depend on more than the food, the wine and the service. For me, that "more" is the person or persons with whom I’m sharing the experience.
Nevertheless, as with most generalizations, I can think of at least one exception, a divine meal that was mine alone.
It happened in South Africa, outside of Cape Town. I had been staying at the Mt. Nelson hotel in Cape Town, and decided to take a car and drive to the southernmost point on the African continent—not Cape of Good Hope, as many think, but rather Cape Agulhas, about 100 miles southeast of Cape Town.
I asked the hotel concierge to have a picnic lunch ready early in the morning of my adventure, and the kitchen came through with honors—ham and watercress on croissant, a tasty bit of Fairview Chevin cheese with garlic and herbs, an orange, a small cup of malva pudding (a traditional Dutch apricot sponge cake) and a half bottle of a light Chenin Blanc.
The picnic lunch could not have been better, but what made it—and the entire day— exceptional was the location. As I sat on a hill overlooking the ocean at Cape Agulhas, I saw a phenomenon that I’ll never forget—the dark blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean meeting the greener waters of the Indian Ocean—an amazing sight! Worth driving 200 miles in one day to see? You bet!
I’d love to hear about one of your memorable meals, too. And I’m sure other readers would as well.
Paula "Bread, Wine and Water" Gifford