The Smell of Family

http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/5/5/1/7/ar119032205171558.jpg

Have you ever smelled food that immediately brought you back to a fond memory from the past? Researchers say that the human sense of smell is the sense most closely connected to our memory. It absolutely amazes me how the smell of Chicken Marsala is deeply tied to so many of my treasured, childhood memories.

At Carrabbas, a local Italian restaurant, my family often indulges in the sweet, authentic Italian cuisine. From the time I was a young boy, I vividly remember going to eat at Carrabbas, but only for special occasions! For me, I always order one of their signature dishes, Chicken Marsala. And every time I smell it, I am brought back to the holidays, birthdays, dates, and celebrations that I love so much.


Any holiday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Easter becomes a timely excuse to visit the home of the most perfect Chicken Marsala. As we enter the restaurant, the hostess always recognizes my family since we eat there so much. We exchange smiles as she gives us a friendly hello. My family and I are always handed a few menus as we take our seats in the dimly lit family style restaurant. While we may take a brief look at the menu- it is only a formality. We know that when it comes time to order, the decision will be an easy one, “Chicken Marsala times five”. My brother smiles and says, “I heard that you are out of Chicken Marsala tonight?” He always gets a little chuckle from the table, but he also knows that they have never run out of their prized, coveted dish. Sitting at the round table with a white tablecloth, we all share stories of laughter and memories. The first course of the meal is warm white bread. Our server slowly pours the finest olive oil over the perfect blend of dry spices in the middle of a saucer. He then drizzles expertly aged, balsamic vinegar throughout the olive oil as if he is creating a work of art. Like hyenas around a freshly killed prey, we all aggressively rush to be the first to dip the mouth-watering bread into the tantalizing mixture. My mouth waters before I can even reach for a piece. As the bread is broken, trapped steam slowly flows from within its soft porous texture onto my anxious and hungry hand. The level of conversation is at a minimum as we focus on pleasuring our hungry palates . I stuff piece after piece into my already full mouth. Worried that I am going to fill up on bread, I refrain myself from eating too much. The second course quickly comes. The smell of the dressing catches my attention immediately. Caesar salad with a creamy Italian dressing is served. Croutons and freshly graded Parmesan cheese tops the sweet lettuce and ripe tomatoes. So many flavors enter my mouth with every bite. The third course finally comes after much anticipation!. Our waitress very calmly places the chef’s unique creation in front of our eyes and noses. I look down at what looks like heaven, smells amazing, and taste even better! Grilled chicken topped with mushrooms and a creamy wine sauce served with fettuccini alfredo. The server shreds the fresh Romano cheese over my plate in front of me. It slowly melts adding a beautiful creamy texture to the surface of a perfectly charred, thick and juicy, split breast. The pasta is so creamy and tender that it melts in my mouth with every bite. Everything is wonderful! I devour the food in no time, as if I inhaled it instead of eating it, leaving nothing, savoring every morsel, making sure that every drop of Marsala sauce passes across my excited taste buds. As I sit back in my chair and reflect on the meal that we’ve just experienced. The rich aroma of the wood-fired oven permeates the room along with the warm fellowship of my family makes the whole experience of my date with Chicken Marsala one of my most treasured memories.

http://www.competeagain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Chicken-Marsala.bmp


Speaking of another type of date, that of the female persuasion. There was this one particular girl named Taylor. I really liked her. Wanting to impress her, I decided to take her to Carrabbas so she could experience those smells and tastes that were close to my heart! I wanted the night to be special so she could take in the whole experience, just like I had done many times before. I would pick her up around eight o’clock. It was wintertime, and she had a scarf wrapped around her long brown hair. She was wearing long pants with a shiny blouse. She looked beautiful as always. I could tell that she was just as excited as I was to experience for the first time something that I had told her so much about! We walked in and just smelling the food increased my appetite greatly. I couldn’t wait for her to savor the famous Chicken Marsala! We were seated in a romantic booth with a vine covered trellis overhead. The relaxing dim lights combined with the sharp smells from the kitchen created the perfect atmosphere for any date. I encouraged her to order my favorite dish and she did. She fell in love with the rich taste of the Marsala sauce just like I had done many years earlier. However, she chose to accompany her Chicken with garlic mashed potatoes. I reached across the table for a small sample of the tender potatoes with my fork. She smiled beautifully at me. I blushed as I was simultaneously mesmerized by the flavor of the buttery potatoes and everything else that was beautiful at the table. We finished the date with some chocolate moose cake topped with vanilla ice cream. The dark chocolate with the dripping Hersey syrup and melting vanilla ice cream was out of this world. The combination of the warm cake and cold ice cream created a wonderful sensation. It was a perfect ending to a perfect meal on a perfect date. Taylor and I both loved our food and had a great time. I was entangled with two things I love most: Taylor and Chicken Marsala. Now, every time I smell the rich tastes of Chicken Marsala, I am hit with the warm comforts of family and friends. It’s a truly wonderful experience to enjoy such wonderful food with family. And everytime we do, it seems as though we are even closer. Now, every time I smell the rich tastes of Chicken Marsala, I am hit with the warm comforts of family and friends. It’s a truly wonderful experience to enjoy such wonderful food with family. And everytime we do, it seems as though we are even closer.