Writers reflect on culinary experiences

Even imagining the delightful taste of a Woody’s grilled cheese sandwich makes me hungry. The sandwich is a perfect combination of everything a grilled cheese needs to be: warm, with bread that toes the delicate line between under-toasted and burnt, and, of course, perfectly gooey cheese.  That initial crunch when you bite into the bread instantly removes all your worries. On top of this, the environ...

Snails, at first glance, are about as appetizing as life insurance.  Never before had I walked through a garden, semi-translucent shells in hand, with the intent to put them on a plate. Never before had I looked into the depths of their wispy, stalk-like eyes and contemplated the transformative abilities of butter, garlic and crisped bread.  Never before had the name “escargot” evoked any im...

Sauntering through the doors of Starbucks, I know what I need. My eyes scan frantically for the sacred treasure, gazing deeply through the bakery glass — there she lies, the best thing I’ve ever eaten: a standard cheese danish, just waiting to be gently warmed by the loving barista, full of buttery dough and delicious magic.  Overcoming social anxiety is easy when there’s the promise of the danish at the end of an awkward interaction, and...

The barbeque at Rendezvous, Memphis, Tennessee, is the meal I would beg for as my last request on death row.  The savory dry rub rack of ribs is so indescribable, I can only give extreme metaphors to replicate its pleasure. The meal is similar to that of birthing a child, winning every state lottery, and electrically stimulating the dopamine glands in one’s brain to feel maximum pleasure.�...