Vol. 1 / Issue 1
A literary and cultural review journal
January, 2026
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Image courtesy of the Daily Express
Food and Nostalgia
The Connection Between Certain Foods and Memories
Laura Crotty
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There is something to be said about the connection between certain foods and the memories attached to them. Their flavors and textures are woven into the experiences we cherish. For me a vanilla buttercream, no matter how gourmet, is always compared to a McDonald’s birthday cake (yes McDonald’s used to host birthday parties in the late 1980s).
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to admit. I was mesmerized by Aunt Peachie’s chocolate fudge, which was uncanny considering the fact that I didn’t even like chocolate. Although the tin was usually half empty, it was somehow more than enough. You didn’t need much; a one inch square of this creamy, rich chocolate confection was pure bliss.
Beyond family, social events enable us to share our food traditions outside the home. Dinners and birthdays, graduations, and weddings enable us to connect with others. Not long ago, my husband and I were invited to a close friend’s birthday dinner; it was an intimate gathering of both family and friends. Since it was late in the summer, I thought it would be a good idea to bake a Lemon Meringue pie. Later on that evening, after dessert was served, I was approached by the host’s father. His features softened to that of a young boy when he expressed a fondness for the pie, and shared the memories attached to its tart, bright flavor. His appreciation was sincere, and it warmed my heart.
The recipes that we hold on to bring us back to a certain place and time. They’re more than taste and texture, they’re deeply rooted in the memories that make us who we are today. Although my Aunt Peachie has long since passed, her fudge lives on. I’ve continued the holiday tradition of sharing it with both family and friends. It's a recipe that’s tied to cherished memories and tradition, aspects that will keep it relevant for generations to come.
Their chocolate cake with just the right amount of cocoa and fluffy-sweet, vanilla frosting, is still the gold standard for buttercream. It’s also worth mentioning that just the scent of oregano brings me back to my mother’s lemon yellow kitchen. Growing up in Ramsey, New Jersey, my mom seasoned just about everything with oregano: salads, sauce, poultry, and pasta, and her sister Peachie did the same. Oregano’s delicate floral quality balanced the richness of her baked clams perfectly.
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The holidays were always a time to connect with our grandparents and cousins. The three-and-a-half hour drive up the Thruway was all but forgotten when we arrived at my grandmother’s house, greeted by steaming plates of tender cheese ravioli. A visit to Aunt Peachie’s soon followed, mostly because we couldn’t wait for her fudge, something no one dared
Image courtesy of Reader's Digest
Laura Crotty is a cookbook author and culinary journalist whose work explores the intersection of food and nostalgia. She holds a BFA from Tisch School of the Arts and is a certified health-supportive cuisine expert from the Natural Gourmet Institute in Manhattan. Her writing features research and recipes, as well as brands dedicated to health and wellness.
Connect with Laura:
Newsletter: Welcome to my casually informative newsletter on Substack.
Cookbook: The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook.