What My Childhood Tasted Like

Coffee Nips. My mom kept them in her purse. You could suck on them forever and pass the time.

Krolls Tavern Chicken Dinners. The best part was the creamy ranch coleslaw in a paper cup. My family always sat in a booth in the smoky nonsmoking section. While we waited for our order, Mom and Dad quizzed Jennifer and me on our times tables or gave us words to spell, which I loved.

Triscuits with Melted Cheddar Cheese: The first thing I learned to cook on my own. My best friend taught me at a sleepover. Put a slab of cheese on a Triscuit and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then sprinkle Triscuit with garlic powder. Bon appetit! I ate them every day for a year at least.

Mountain Dew: Alarmingly neon. I never liked it, but it had been decided by my friends that drinking Mountain Dew was the cool thing to do. So, Friday nights at the YMCA became dedicated to playing basketball and taking breaks to guzzle Mountain Dew from the soda fountain.

Lemon Heads: Sour hard candies. Potentially dangerous if you eat too many, which I discovered during a game of truth or dare.

Sticky Chicken Wings: My family committed hours to cooking them, but it was worth the effort. We’d sit at the kitchen table together making sure none of the delicious meat was left on the bones. I remember comparing the large piles of discarded bones stacked on our plates.