I was reminiscing with a friend the other day about how much food played a part in our respective childhoods. So many of my memories circle back to something having to do with food. Whether it was a special restaurant or a special recipe, the food theme was prevalent.

For example, anyone remember Cooky’s Steak Pub? It was a favorite evening out in our family, always with my grandparents. The shrimp on the salad bar were plentiful but the star of the evening was the banana bread. My grandmother would bring one of the supermarket produce bags she had saved, cleaned and neatly stored so that she could bring a helping or two home with her.

My mom made some classic dishes that have survived to this day. Rice Krispie Chicken was a favorite recipe then and my kids will tell you now as well.

I also remember that my mom used to entertain frequently, and I was always the helper. She made a stir fry dish for company that was terrific and my job for most of the afternoon was to cut up the chicken and the steak.

I could go on – but do you have any memories of food that take you back?