I've been repeatedly asked to imagine what flavour I would be, and I can never come up with a satisfactory answer. Probably because flavour means food, but there's so much more to food than flavour.
I'm not a foodie snob, just someone who loves enjoying her food. There's flavour, but there's also smell, there's texture, there's temperature. All those can make a world of difference. So I decided to cheat a bit and figure out what kind of foodstuff I could be… and the choice just sprang up without me having to think about it at all.
If I identify with a food item, in a 'come back as X' way, that would have to be my mother's spice and orange cookies. They don't look like those up there in the photo; she prefers to twist the dough into little braids and shape them into sticks, crescents or rings. They are vegetarian, as there is no butter, milk or egg in the recipe; baking them would always ramp up big time during fasting periods, and the smell of cinnamon, clove and orange greeted people from the landing, without even having to open the door into the flat.
They're fluffy and comforting when eaten hot, just out of the oven, or even warm, although I've always preferred them cold, at least a couple of days old, when they feel more solid and the flavours have blended. And unlike so many other cookies that seem to be designed to be dunked in milk, these are extra yummy when dipped in orange juice, leaving some of their spiciness in the drink.
I'm not sure if I identify with them because they tick all the 'favourite foods' boxes or if I like them so much because I'm so like them, but there you have it. I'm solid, dependable, low maintenance, a generally wholesome influence; sweet but with a little core of pungency, an acquired taste. I want to believe I bring a bit of comfort, even with some crumbly rough edges, to the lives of the people I touch, and leave something of myself in them.
