Food is my favorite f word

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food” – G. B. Shaw

I have to admit, my path finding love in food has not been easy and this is going to be the first time I actually say it all out loud.

I was born in the beginning of the 1980´s in the middle of the soviet era in Estonia and there was not much food choices. The shops were always empty and people were given food stamps for necessities like bread, salt, oil, flour etc. Although everything was carefully rationed and immaculately calculated by the authorities, it could still happen, that you had the stamp for bread, but the bread has ran out just before the line got to you. Due to the lack of everything, people needed to be extra creative to feed their families. Both of my grannies were true magicians, enchanting the hell out of meatless bones and vegetables they grew in their small garden plots, making nourishing soups and stews. It was extremely impolite to leave something on the plate.

My parents got separated and divorced few days after my 4th birthday. I moved away with my mom and her new husband, as my older brother stayed back home with our dad. The actual distance between us was just a couple of kilometers, but as a small kid it felt like we had moved to another country.

I was already a picky eater, but the divorce and the total life change must broke something in me. I was very young and didn´t have much to say in the matter anyway, but refusing to eat gave me some power to show, how I feel being away from my home, my familiar environment, my toys, my brother and my father. Unfortunately no-one seemed to understand it.

The years passed and me not eating sort of became a normality for everyone. I was always the smallest in my class, always ill, weak and pale as a potato sprout. I spend quite a lot of time visiting different doctors and being at the hospital, but all they came up after countless procedures, that often entailed needles, was that I have to start eating. They didn´t realize, that by that time even the thought of putting food in mouth made me sick. I still remember so clearly the reluctance to food and the feeling of repulsion to bite something, have it my mouth and eventually swallowing it. In my case it was never about the calories, I even didn´t know what they were back then, but the eating itself as an activity was dreadful for me. Once your mind is set, the body will follow and so eating became physically difficult for me as I felt sick every time that I had finally managed to get something down. For years and years I only ate some broth from the soup (but never the solid components), bread with extra thin layer of butter and sweet tea. Mainly I ate something just to avoid the constant nagging, not because I really wanted or even needed to. I was a standout student, always polite and nice to everyone, a bookworm and had a lot of friends, but I just didn´t want to eat.

The not eating period peaked somewhere at the age of 13 – 14. I was literally a human wreck, managing to stay in school for maximum 2 weeks in a row and then had to stay home for a week, because I was so ill and weak it was sometimes a real struggle to get out of the bed. I was put in the hospital for some time… After that my brother quietly suggested that maybe I have anorexia.

It feels weird saying it out loud, but I really had an eating disorder. Have an eating disorder. I dont´t know, maybe it´s the same as being an alcoholic, you´ll always have it and the important thing is to acknowledge and accept it and try to live with it as best as you can.

Oddly enough my healing began thanks to cooking. After my parents divorced, I still managed to keep a close relationship with my father. At first spending just Sundays with him and the older I got, the longer I stayed. I always felt happy, even just for the smell of home (I still do). Dad has inherited Granny´s natural abilities in the kitchen and it was actually him, who taught me to cook. On our days together, we used to make simple dishes like chicken soup, mashed potatoes with gravy or Shepard´s pie. I got to chop vegetables and make salad and help with everything else. Afterwards we would sit in the kitchen and he´d watch me eating, always cheering when I took another bite, but never forcing me to keep going if I stopped or growl over the fact good food being wasted.

As I got older, I started to try to cook on my own, starting with really basic things, like frying leftover potatoes for lunch after school or making pancakes. I discovered that the process of cooking brought me joy even when dad wasn´t around. I started to read cookbooks and gathered recipes, techniques and secrets from everyone that I encountered, from members of my extended family to the grandparents of my friends. Although I still ate just few bites, I enjoyed the process of making food and getting to know different flavors and textures of the food. To my surprise, after some time the thought of putting food in my mouth and actually eating something didn´t felt awful anymore, but rather pleasant. After a while I was even excited to taste food that was made by others.

Things were all great until I got pregnant with my daughter and along with that got really bad nausea, that allowed me to eat only Granny Smith apples and water, everything else came right up. It had taken me quite a lot of willpower to achieve to weigh 48 kg and the first months of pregnancy took 5 of them away just like that. All the painful memories of the repulsion and the reluctance to food came back to me. At the beginning of my second trimester I was standing in my doctor´office and watching myself from the mirror, facing that sickly thin and pale figure I thought I´d never see again. And as a perfect deja-vu, the doctor threatened to put me in the hospital if I don´t start eating something immediately and gain weight.

Fighting with nausea and vomit reflex, I tried to eat a piece of bread, a cracker or a banana. But this time it was different for me, because now I was worried of my body image, I didn´t want to get fat. I was happy with my body and I was terrified to lose it. Eating disorders are mostly mental conditions, the slightest thing can nick the balance off and from there it´s a slippery slope… I was lucky to have people around me, who understood the struggle and were able to help me cope. The nausea finally passed, I tried to concentrate on my baby and eating slowly became an option again, until I got pregnant with my son and like an endless circle everything recurred… As a weird compromise of nature, the birth weigh of both of my children was respectively 4,3 and 4,7kg.

It has taken little over three decades for me finally to be comfortable with food, to be able to say I love food and everything about it. I still enjoy cooking as an art form of expression. I´m always excited to travel and try new things and not just learn new recipes, but create my own as well. I´m very anxious to share some of these with you, just be warned, I don´t like measurements or other boundaries.

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Tasty sandwiches

Sandwiches are my favorite food. I am ready to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Most of all I like the ones made on prescription from the following ingredients:

• wheat bread;
• butter;
• a piece of sausage or cheese.

Sometimes I add vegetables to the sandwich. It can be tomatoes or cucumbers. They are also loved by my older brother, but he does not like butter, and he does not add it.

I can add burgers instead of sausage. It is not very important for me whether it is chicken cutlets or pork. In any case, the final product turns out very tasty. You can always eat this dish and then not have hunger for a few more hours.

Перевод:

Вкусные бутерброды

Бутерброды — это моя любимая еда. Я готов есть их на завтрак, обед и ужин каждый день. Больше всего мне нравятся приготовленные по рецепту из следующих ингредиентов:

• пшеничный хлеб;
• масло;
• кусок колбасы или сыра.

Иногда я добавляю овощи к бутерброду. Это могут быть помидоры или огурцы. Их также любит мой старший брат, но ему не нравится масло, и он не добавляет его.

Я могут добавить котлеты вместо колбасы. Для меня не очень важно, куриные ли это котлеты или свиные. В любом случае конечный продукт получается очень вкусным. Таким блюдом всегда можно перекусить и потом ещё несколько часов не испытывать чувства голода.

Mashed Potatoes

I am omnivorous and can eat almost any meal. I like any useful fruits and vegetables, as well as sweets and rolls. I try to cook fish and meat dishes as often as possible. I can also give preference to dishes of Russian cuisine — borsch, pilaf, pancakes with milk.

For me it is important that the food was delicious and satisfying, looked nice. Mashed potatoes best meet these requirements. I love this dish and know how to cook it tasty. It is very easy. All you need to do is boil the potatoes and then add a little oil. After that, I pour in the heated milk and carefully beat everything up with a mixer. The result is a palatable dish. It is pleasant not only to me, but to my whole family.

Most people in England start their day with a traditional national breakfast. It can also be very tasty and nutritious. It includes:

• scrambled eggs;
• bacon;
• beans, etc.

Sometimes I eat scrambled eggs for breakfast, but I cook my favorite mashed potatoes more often. I usually add to them juicy toasted meatballs. The dish turns out more satisfying and tastier with them.

I also can not imagine life without chocolate. Most of all I like dark and milk chocolate with raisins and nuts. He helps me calm my nerves. Of course, it can be harmful, and therefore I have to limit myself in its consumption. I often write letters to my pen pals where we discuss the most liked chocolate varieties. I know a lot of facts from the history of this product.

Перевод:

Пюре из картофеля

Я всеяден и могу съесть почти любую еду. Мне нравятся любые полезные фрукты и овощи, а также сладости и роллы. Я стараюсь как можно чаще готовить рыбные и мясные блюда. Ещё я могут отдать предпочтение блюдам русской кухни — борщ, плов, блины с молоком.

Для меня важно, чтобы еда была вкусной и сытной, приятно выглядела. Картофельное пюре лучше всего отвечает этим требованиям. Я люблю это блюдо и умею вкусно его готовить. Это очень легко. Надо лишь сварить отварить картофель, а затем добавить немного масла. После этого я вливаю подогретое молоко и тщательно всё взбиваю миксером. В результате получается приятное на вкус блюдо. Оно нравится не только мне, но и всей моей семье.

Большинство людей в Англии начинают свой день с традиционного национального завтрака. Он тоже может быть очень вкусным и питательным. В его состав входят:

• яичница;
• бекон;
• бобы и пр.

Иногда и я ем яичницу на завтрак, но я готовлю любимое картофельное пюре чаще всего. Я обычно добавляю к ним сочные поджаренные фрикадельки. Блюдо получается ещё сытнее и вкуснее вместе с ними.

Ещё я не могу представить себе жизнь без шоколада. Больше всего я люблю тёмный и молочный шоколад с изюмом и орехами. Он помогает мне успокоить нервы. Конечно, он может быть вреден, и поэтому мне приходится ограничивать себя в его потреблении. Я часто пишу письма своим друзьям по переписке, где мы обсуждаем наиболее понравившиеся сорта шоколада. Я знаю много фактов из истории этого продукта.

Potato crisps

I really like crisps. This is my favorite food. I usually sit in front of a computer and can eat a whole pack while watching my favorite TV show. Parents say that crisps are harmful and should not be eaten in large quantities. I myself understand this, but I still eat them. They can have many tastes:

• bacon;
• cheese;
• bow;
• banana;
• tomatoes.

I like bacon crisps the most. This is delicious. The crunchy sound they make delights me. My friends love crisps too. It seems to us that we can not live without this dish.

Перевод:

Картофельные чипсы

Я очень люблю чипсы. Это моя любимая еда. Я обычно сажусь перед компьютером и могу съесть целую пачку, смотря любимый сериал. Родители говорят, что чипсы вредны, и их нельзя есть в большом количестве. Я и сам понимаю это, но всё равно ем их. У них может быть множество вкусов:

• бекон;
• сыр;
• лук;
• банан;
• помидоры.

Мне нравятся чипсы с беконом больше всего. Это очень вкусно. Тот хрустящий звук, который они издают, приводит меня в восторг. Мои друзья тоже любят чипсы. Нам кажется, что мы не сможем жить без этого блюда.

I like ice cream

I love eating ice cream. This product is popular not only in our country, but throughout the world. I can eat any kind of this product, but what I like most is Mango Sorbet. Many people say that this is not real ice cream and not ice cream at all, but I still eat it all the same.

The most pleasant product happens on a hot summer day. My friends and I always go to the van with ice cream on such days. Product helps release dopamine in the body. This is the hormone of happiness, and therefore I am happy when I eat it.

Many of my classmates do not like ice cream. It seems to them too sweet and freezes their teeth. I find it hard to understand them. There are many types of this product, and anyone could find a suitable taste.

Of course, I do not eat ice cream alone. I enjoy eating fried chicken, chocolate, pizza, cakes, but none of this can compare with my favorite ice cream.

Перевод:

Мне нравится мороженое

Я обожаю есть мороженое. Это продукт популярен не только в нашей стране, но и по всему миру. Я могу съесть любой сорт этого продукта, но больше всего мне нравится «Манго Сорбет». Многие говорят, что это ненастоящее мороженое и вообще не мороженое, но я всё равно часто ем это.

Наиболее приятным продуктбывает в летний жаркий день. Мы с друзьями всегда ходим к фургону с мороженым в такие дни. Продукт помогает высвобождать дофамин в организме. Это гормон счастья, и потому я бываю счастлив, когда ем его.

Многие мои одноклассники не любят мороженое. Оно кажется им слишком сладким и замораживает их зубы. Мне трудно их понять. Существует множество видов этого продукта, и любой человек мог бы найти подходящий вкус.

Конечно, я не питаюсь одним только мороженым. Я с удовольствием ем жареную курицу, шоколад, пиццу, пирожные, но ничто из этого не может сравниться с моим любимым мороженым.

My favorite spaghetti

Spaghetti is my favorite dish. Spaghetti is a type of pasta. This is delicious. There are many varieties of this dish with different shapes and lengths. They can be eaten with or without sauce. I am a true master of spaghetti sauce. I can cook tomato sauce, Bologna sauce, cream sauce, etc. Each of these ingredients changes the taste of the whole dish.

I usually add mushrooms, onions and sausage. I am so good at spaghetti that I am ready to write a dissertation, in the topic of which will be this dish. Sometimes I’m too lazy to cook, and I order ready-made spaghetti.

Many people like spaghetti for ease of preparation. It is enough to boil them in water and add the sauce to the dish. If the portion is too large, you can put the leftovers in the refrigerator and eat it later.

Перевод:

Мои любимые спагетти

Спагетти — это мое самое любимое блюдо. Спагетти — это разновидность макарон. Это очень вкусно. Есть много разновидностей этого блюда с различной формой и длиной. Их можно есть с соусом или без него. Я — настоящий мастер в приготовлении соуса для спагетти. Я умею готовить томатный соус, болонский соус, сливочный соус и пр. Каждый из этих ингредиентов изменяет вкус всего блюда.

Я обычно добавляю грибы, лук и колбасу. Я настолько хорошо разбираюсь в спагетти, что готов написать диссертацию, в топике которой будет это блюдо. Иногда мне лень готовить, и я заказываю уже готовые спагетти.

Многим людям нравятся спагетти за простоту в приготовлении. Достаточно сварить их в воде и добавить соус в блюдо. Если порция оказалась слишком большой, остатки можно положить в холодильник и доесть потом.

Hearty pizza

I love pizza and am ready to eat it at least every day. Pizza is good in both hot and cold, it always retains a pleasant smell. Most of all I like the pizza Margherita, which is added to tomatoes, cheese and sausage. The crust is my favorite piece of pizza. Nothing can compare with the magnificent crispy and juicy taste of pizza.

I know how to cook pizza on my own, I always have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Nevertheless, I prefer the pizza cooked by professionals. Because of this, I usually order it in a cafe. They know how to cook so delicious pizza that it is impossible to stop when you eat it.

Перевод

Сытная и вкусная пицца

Я обожаю пиццу и готов поедать её хоть каждый день. Пицца хороша как в горячем, так и в холодном состоянии, она всегда сохраняет приятный запах. Больше всего мне нравится пицца «Маргарита», в которую добавляют помидоры, сыр и колбасу. Корочка — это моя любимая часть пиццы. Ничто не может сравниться с великолепным хрустящим и сочным вкусом пиццы.

Я умею готовить пиццу самостоятельно, у меня всегда под рукой все необходимые ингредиенты. Тем не менее мне больше по душе пицца, приготовленная профессионалами. Из-за этого я обычно заказываю её в кафе. Они умеют готовить настолько вкусную пиццу, что невозможно остановиться, когда ешь её.

Рассказ о еде на английском с переводом поможет не только запомнить новые иностранные слова, перевод и транскрипцию, но и изучить английскую культуру в целом и обычное меню жителей Великобритании в частности, суметь сделать его описание. Ребёнок, изучив эти тексты, сумеет написать сочинение или любой другой проект, улучшит произношение и умение переводить.