SC-S29/W3- Nostalgia Of The Little Me : Childhood Food Memories

This challenge reminded me of my past. It's actually good to remember memories like this. Why? Because whenever I remember the food I used to eat in school, I smile in a way. We used to do things that we can't even imagine now that we're grown-ups. In some cases, we dream of going back to our childhood so we can eat certain meals or dishes. The cornflakes, Golden Morn, oats, and fries. Here in Nigeria, you can't comfortably eat those things again for satisfaction as it was done then.

The childhood dish I remember clearly was the Noodles mixed with milk and eggs. Oh God....I can't imagine myself eating such a meal now. It was a common food my parents would prepare for me and pack in my lunchbox to take to school. Some parents don't prepare it this way. They cook the noodles the normal way, but it's quite unfortunate that most of my classmates then couldn't eat their own noodles because before it was break time, the noodles had molded like cake and were strong, making the kids cut their noodles and eat them as cake.

They usually find it difficult to finish theirs, but I'll eat my own and even rinse the plate, and they'll be in amazement. How? The milk my mom usually put in the noodles for me. The milk helped prevent collision of the noodles. So anytime I want to eat noodles or see other people eating such, I usually remember that childhood food mixture. It was no ordinary noodle. As of then, I do like watery noodles, noodles that contain enough water as if they were pepper soup.

Why it's special to me is because it was Mum that first brought that creative idea of eating noodles with liquid milk, and then other parents copied. Children that usually bring their lunch pack filled with noodles they can't finish usually bring it empty after the strategic mixture. It reminds me that in any difficult situation, there's always a solution.

My mom usually prepared this food for me when I was in grade school. She'll arrange my lunchbox and put the noodles in it after cooking and then spread liquid milk to improve its taste and also to prevent collision of the noodles. She's always perfect at this, and nobody knows how to do this more than her. Let me give you her little recipe. I usually call it Hawaii Locomoto

She doesn't go traditional in preparing this dish for me because it's usually prepared in the early morning hours of 6 AM before leaving for school. Traditionally, it is a whole lot of stress and can be spooky. So these are the utensils she uses.

• cooking gas

• knife and 6

• frying pan and bowl plates

• Groundnut oil

• Egg, plantain, and salt

• Noodles

• 2 sachets of milk

• Pepper and onions

• Curry powder water

	All the ingredients for now

You may be shocked to see plantain in the ingredients. Yes, my mom won't just give you noodles. She'll add egg and fries.

• She won't start by cooking the noodles first, as they may get cold or gummy before the actual combos are added. She first boils the egg for 10 minutes and then puts it in cold water.

• While the egg is boiling, she'll peel and cut the plantain into slices and contain it in a sizable bowl or plate. She'll add salt and mix it well. She'll then place it in hot oil and allow it to turn golden brown. Using the turner, she'll then bring it out and place it on a plate.

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• While the plantain is on fire, she'll empty the milk into a bowl and mix it with water and ensure there's no emulsion in it to avoid coagulation with the noodles.

• She'll then use the same pan and cook the noodles. She'll put the noodles in the pan with water on medium heat and allow it to be soft before adding pepper, onions, spices, and others.

• The noodles would be ready, and she'll empty them into my food flask and pour the milk inside and mix with a fork. She'll then place the fries, chips, and eggs on top of the noodles and package it into my bag. This is her little recipe for me.

I usually eat this food at school. At home, it would be prepared normally, and it's usually eaten as lunch because I'll eat breakfast before going to school. Back then, from 2007 to 2010, I usually took a lunch pack to school, and by 11am, I'd eat it during break time at school. I don't eat this kind of meal on special occasions, not with milk.

I don't have any tied emotions with this meal. My view of it then was different compared to now. Then, eating such a meal was very special to me because it was tasty, and the thermo flask makes the noodles still hot, tasty, and great. Normally milk doesn't last if mixed with a food that's not its type.

The food will spoil if you keep it for too long. Now, I can't even imagine myself eating such a meal with milk. When I think of it, it's as if I should vomit or throw up. Even after preparing the meal, I couldn't finish it. I told my brother to help me finish it. The taste and smell taste bad for me now compared to that time. Back then it usually have the following emotions....

• Taste then: It tasted like holandia yoghurt and bread. You won't really taste the pepper soup that comes with the noodles. Just imagine that feeling of combining holandia yoghurt and bread. You'll definitely be in heaven.

• Emotions then: When I eat this food then, I'm always so happy that I don't have to cut the noodles like everyone else and it was as if the meal was prepared immediately. I felt loved and satisfaction that my mom wants the best for me.

It remains a memory for me. I can't literally imagine myself doing this with milk. I can eat all kinds of noodles with other mixtures, but not with milk and stew. So it remains a memory. It's the only food that reminds me of food combinations in my school days. The memory taught me that there's always a solution to everything and that you'll just have to do things you usually don't do to get these solutions. In life, this is a replica

I invite @sahmie, @lunasilver and @sahzh