remembrance of meals past.

i found a few old photos the other day, and there were several taken with friends at mealtimes. what struck me the most about these photos is that then, i obviously didn't care about taking photos of the food because there aren't any, and now, i absolutely cannot remember what i ate at any of these meals. come to think of it, i rarely do remember the food even if it's exceptional, if i'm in particularly fine company.

the photo above is of breakfast at dean and deluca, in their first café on prince street in soho, new york city (less than two bucks for an iced coffee! eek, this is older than i thought). malcolm is a newlywed here, having just married a dear friend just days before. i barely knew him at this point, but as you can see, we were destined to get on famously--several cameras on the table (not including the one i took the photo with), several beverages each, and he is actually photographing the food, predating my interest in food photography by several years. every time i look at this photo, i recall the slight chill in the air of that april day, the sharp tang of the lemon cake i ate, that funny odorous mix of slightly decaying produce, strong coffee and sidewalk i associate with every soho in the world, and the instanteous feeling of ease when you meet someone new whom you know you will be friends with for a very long time.

even if he was mumbling somewhat incoherently with that scottish accent, ordered a middling blueberry muffin, and made me see "arachnophobia". in the theatres.