Food Porn

I spend a lot of time thinking about food. Discussing food. Reminiscing about meals I've had. Looking at pictures of food online. Trying to think of ways to describe food to other people so that they can get as excited as I am about it. Which is like trying to explain an inside joke to someone who wasn't there, but infinitely more annoying.

Lately, it's reached a particularly intense obsessive period. And my fetishes are very specific. The first is food from Disney World. I went there in May, and have been thinking about meals I had there since. I know, you're probably thinking, "um, theme park food? isn't that, like, hot dogs and Mickey-shaped...hot dogs?" There's definitely that, but there are also some of the best restaurants I've ever been to. For real. I have been seriously contemplating going back there soon just so I can eat at Jiko, the African restaurant. This was my first time eating African food, and I love it so much that I actually get a nostalgic happy/sad feeling welling up inside of me thinking about it. Specifically, about the Sweet Potato and Maize Tamales, with goat cheese, pictured.

I think it's the only time I've ever ordered more of an appetizer. Inside the tamale, the sweet potato is sort of like a polenta/pudding, with goat cheese on top. I can't really do it justice, though. If you know me, you know I never cook. Pasta and pan-frying are pretty much my limits. But I actually went and emailed Disney asking them for the recipe so I could make it. I know I'd probably slaughter it, but at least it would be some sort of sad imitation to tide me over. My heart leapt when I saw the response in my Inbox. I felt like I was getting a response back from a Boy I Liked.

Alas:

Dear Lynn:

We are pleased that during your recent visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge you expressed interest in one of our recipes. Normally it is our pleasure to provide you with these requests. However, the chefs at Jiko share only a very few recipes, and unfortunately, the tamale recipe is not one of them.

We hope you enjoyed your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and that you will return again to enjoy this particular menu item.. If we may be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

The Culinary Team at Jiko

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge


It's not that I don't understand. I understand all too well. But that doesn't change how it feels, you know? I can almost taste it now. But how can you ever know for sure whether the memory of a taste is true? I even went so far as to tell them in my original email that, "My dining companions and I couldn't stop raving about them!", hoping that my grown-up language would do something to sway them. But for naught.
For now, all I can do is write this paean, nay, this apostrophe to the food.

And maybe try to cook the Coconut-Crusted Tofu Noodle Bowl I had there, too, at The Brown Derby.