Food for nostalgic thought

Hmmm. Was I really blaming my two fans yesterday for the fact that I can't seem to grocery shop like a normal person these days? Sorry about that.

Anyway, today's pointless photo has nothing to do with anything because I need to go out and take some more photos. One of these days I'll actually fit the photo to the post theme and you'll all die of shock, you know. Either that or the blog will turn into a pumpkin. It's been threatening to do that for years...

Ah well. Today's topic. Recently I'd been having a craving for the subs that a now-defunct local deli and bulk food place used to make when I was a teenager. The place was on my way to my after-school job, and if I was working a late shift I'd regularly stop in and pick one up for supper. I suppose that it was kind of weird considering that I worked at a grocery store that had not only food (fancy that. Food in a grocery store) but its own cafeteria. I can't remember now why I went for the subs instead, but I did. The subs themselves weren't anything special. As a matter of fact, my craving ended up taking me to the drastic step of trying to recreate them, and I was reasonably successful. I'd be ashamed to tell you what was in my version, especially in light of today's much more interesting sandwiches, but hey. The taste took me back, and that's what I wanted.

It's weird, the things in the food world you find yourself missing. Take mushroom burgers, for instance. There was a drive-through burger place (entirely drive-through. No seating at all. Strange set-up, now that I stop to think about it) in the town I grew up in that was a real going concern until the chain restaurants started moving in. Or maybe the owner retired. Or maybe it was a combination of the two; I can't remember at this point. Anyway, they served the same things you'd expect to find at pretty much any small town burger joint. My usual was their mushroom burger, and on occasion I'll still find myself wanting one. Here's the thing, though. I'm sure that if someone from the past showed up with one right this minute I'd be massively disappointed. Realistically, it was a plain burger patty with mushrooms and gravy on a pretty average bun. That's all it was. I know that.

But I still miss the silly things. Or, more likely, I miss the context.

Out of curiosity I took a break just now to google the name of the place. Apparently I'm not the only one on the net who misses it, mushroom burgers, and throwing fries at the always-present gulls.

I suppose we all have our childhood food-related things, though, don't we? At work we sometimes find ourselves talking about nostalgia candy, which can be interesting. Wheat and I definitely have 70s-based memories of Pop Rocks, Bottle Caps, Lik-M-Aid, and things like that. Which, incidentally, always takes me straight back to the bowling alley... ah, but stories of my childhood bowling prowess belong to another post, don't you think? Other members of staff, of course, have different associations depending on when they grew up. I have yet to meet anyone who can't give me some kind of answer when I ask them about the candy they miss from their childhood, however.

I guess in a way we're at least partly defined by the crap we ate?

Or whatever. I wasn't aiming for a conclusion here. The title says POINTLESS blather, after all.

All of this goes a long way to explaining why the candy basket on my desk has Chupa Chups (hey. According to that website they've been discontinued? I swear, I bought them not all that long ago. Maybe someone else is making them now?) and candy bracelets hanging around in it, I guess. Occasionally we like to be children in our office. It's especially enjoyable when we have a meeting and everyone's gesturing with their lollipops...






Ok, yeah, I'm five years old. There's nothing wrong with that. Now where are my wax lips?

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Edited after browsing that site a bit to add: Gold Mine Gum!. I'd totally forgotten about that stuff.