Peel the onion

an assortment of random images in a collage

Some of our most defining experiences growing up involve the presence of food - around the warmth or tension of the dinner table, at celebrations or funerals, shared with friends or scarfed in solitude.

Write about a food from your childhood, using all your senses — taste, texture, aroma, the crunch or slurp of it in your mouth. Was this item something you savoured, a source of comfort and pleasure, intertwined with positive memories? Or was it something repulsive, forced upon you? Maybe it was tainted with shame — a cultural specialty classmates snickered at, or a forbidden treat you hid from controlling parents. Is there a food you'll never be able to eat again, due to the childhood experiences associated with it?

Start here: