Sure, my siblings and I ate our share of breaded fish sticks and packaged macaroni and cheese, but every so often we were treated to home versions of chicken curry, pork chow mien and kielbasa with sauerkraut. These humble forays into global food traditions gave us an early understanding that there was a lot of good stuff out there, waiting to be discovered and consumed.
We joke that my kid brother learned to read as we traveled the interstate highways on family vacations. Clan lore tells that the first word he recognized was EAT!, a command, no less, towering over the cornfields on signs located for maximum impact on weary parents with hungry kids, at off ramps and major intersections right next to the Holiday Inn. We were happy to comply.
In this environment of road trips and roadside restaurants, our family motto evolved. Go Places and Eat Things defined not just what we were doing, but what brought us joy. As the miles rolled by and the meal tally rose, we imagined a family crest of crossed knife and fork on a field of tablecloth checks. “Gravy over everything!” became our rallying cry.
My husband embraced the family watchword early in our marriage, and over the years we’ve managed to strike a nice balance between EAT! and bon appétit! We’ve traveled to some wonderful places and enjoyed some memorable meals both close to home and far away. Taking the measure of a place through its points of interest and its plats du jour is simply what we love to do.
So it is in the tradition and spirit of Go Places and Eat Things that I write about food, travel and life, separately and together, in no particular order. Let’s see where it takes us, and what’s to eat when we get there.
