Souvenirs of England and Paris

I left home knowing I was not going to buy much. I knew that the pound and the euro were worth a lot more than the dollar at the moment, even after the Greeks pulled their money stunts, I knew that food was not included in the cost of the tour and that most of my resources would go toward that end. I also had gotten a good deal on a triple strand of small pearls on ebay exactly three days before departure. I’m glad I got those pearls. All jewelry was very expensive in Europe. I got my mother a fake rhinestone flower basket pin at Windsor Castle and it cost me $50.

I did my limited souvenir in the gift shops of the historic sites and at the National Trust stores which benefit the historic sites. Their shops are stocked with things picked out by cultured little old ladies with taste. Also, they must be impoverished gentlewomen because the prices are reasonable. Notice, I didn’t say cheap. My souvenirs need to have a sense of place to be meaningful. Also, these days, one suitcase is all you get unless you pay dearly. I did take a fairly large shopping bag from an American shopping mecca that is trying to get us to use recyclables. I put my purse in it on the return trip to make it my personal carryon item. Still, the things I bought were small. I bought music twice - a choral and organ CDs at St Paul’s Cathedral (where Charles and Di got married) and a set of  3 CDs of symphonic music by famous classical orchestras called “A Walk in the Countryside”. I have been playing the music constantly since I got home. The music gives me a great sense of the places I have been. I bought a heavy plaid wool throw (they call it a lap rug). I was a little worried about its weight, but I didn’t go over my 50 lb limit with it. It was cold enough when I got home with what our nanny used to call “the Easter snap” that I sat under it all day Sunday when I got back listening to my imported music. I always tend to buy music, books, and something to eat.

I love food. I tell everybody that food is one of my religions and I worship at every shrine I pass. What you can bring in to eat as limited. I .of course, got tea. England is famous for its tea drinking. I did a good bit of tea drinking there. Earl Grey is my favorite for everyday drinking, but I love fruit flavored teas. I looked all over to find some. There was this sleazy little shop across the  hotel that had some. I didn’t like dealing with them because they cheated one of our party out of her change the first night. They were from a county that doesn’t much like tourists, especially women. Once they did that to her, I didn’t like giving them business. When she objected, they returned the right change, but it’s buyer beware. I searched all over for my tea. I didn’t want English Breakfast or Afternoon Tea. I finally found some flamboyant fruit varieties at Harrod’s. I think of the Food Halls at Harrod’s as a branch of heaven. I had read about them years ago in Gourmet Magazine. I had put a trip there on the top of my wish list. It didn’t disappoint. I went into the take away bakery and go some interesting things. I got a cheese and onion bread that was filled with browned onion slices and topped in the cuts with real sliced parmesan cheese. I can make that at home as I can the other pastries I tried. In fact, my favorite souvenir of all was the tastes I brought home to try. There was a cream cheese filled pastry that was flavored with lemon juice. The lemon made it probably the best cream cheese pastry I ever had. I’m going to make my special cream cheese braids for Easter and this time use lemon juice instead of vanilla. The best thing I got there was given to me by a friend who bought and didn’t want to keep up with it. It was a kind of pizza like bread that had fresh tomatoes and pesto baked on top. When you bit into itr, it was loaded with stuffed olives. I am an adventuresome cook who rarely uses recipes. I can taste something and tell what is basically in it. I knew I could make this. I came in today and did it. I whipped the pizza dough up in my food processor. I pulled it out thin and put the olives on. I used sliced olives because that is what I had. I have some very good pesto in a refrigerated jar from Sam’s. I bought some roma tomatoes at the grocery store because they are the only kind fit to eat this time of year. The English love their tomatoes. They even broil them for breakfast. We had a full English breakfast buffet at the hotel where we stayed that included the broiled tomatoes. It also included pork and beans. Of course, I tried them and decided beans on toast was a taste I had yet to acquire.

I guess my favorite souvenirs are the food memories I bring back and try to recreate in my own kitchen. The pizza bread is rising on the counter as I write. Some friends are coming over this afternoon to hear about the trip. I’m going to try it out on them, so they can tangibly share my souvenirs. I couldn’t fit them presents in my suitcase, but they’ll having something I made just for them that I’d never have known about without the trip!

I have a confession to make. Alongside the pizza bread rising, I have a pot of butterbeans and okra seasoned with Conecuh sausage cooking. I was hungry for some home cooked food that tasted like rural Southwest Alabama.