Growing older has many good points I suppose. Maturity brings a lot of knowledge and experience one can share, with others but mainly with our children. Most are not in need or want of what we have learned in the past and prefer to experiment and learn for themselves.

With this in mind, it occurred to me that one thing most accepted and shared is a joy in food. Sharing the experience of foods enjoyed, cooking, and sharing tastes of the past are always welcomed.

At this stage in my life after seventy one years I find that many happy memories seem to dwell on foods of my past. I thought I would share some of the more unusual ones with you.

I was born in Montreal, Canada, and though I left when I was only sixteen I have to admit I left my heart in that beautiful city of my past. I now live in California and no one would say that we do not have good food. Our salads alone could fill an entire recipe book. The diversity of foods in this state is overwhelming.

Ah! but still, I dream and re visit my past only to find and eat the foods I find comfort in. Every trip I make to Montreal consists of meals I long for and every time I travel back there I find it a bit harder to find. So I feel a need to document some that I would hate to see lost.

A chocolate bar I simply adore is called "Cherry Blossom." Hershey, Canada makes this. It comes in a small square yellow box. One bite is so delicious my words can hardly describe it. Milk chocolate, mixed with chopped nuts covering a small amount of liquid and a cherry in the middle. The right amount of sweetness, not too much and the right size to consume with comfort. When I bite into this candy my mouth is overwhelmed by its taste and how much pleasure this candy brings. I tasted this bar over sixty five years ago and have loved it ever since. How often can you find a product unchanged in this much time?

A sandwich called smoked meat is unique to Montreal. It is a delicatessen delight enjoyed by many visitors and Montrealer's as well. This meat is similar to pastrami or corned beef, but I hate to even mention those meats as smoked meat has a taste that is unique and really cannot be compared. The best is that of a delicatessen called Schwartz's on The Main. The original with some fat, sliced by hand served hot is what to eat. Heaven for sure. If comfort is what you want, there is nothing better than a hot corned beef sandwich. Can you imagine the agony I suffer knowing I can only have this on yet another trip

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