The tea cups sat there on the tray. All four of them. Steaming from the clear cups. I grab one by the handle and place it in front of me on the coffee table. I place my hands around the hot cup. I breathe in the authentic tea leaves. It smells so familiar and comforting. I don’t normally sweeten my tea but Homa tells me that if I want to try the biscuits I should add some sugar to my tea. I really want a biscuit, so I follow her instructions. I am so curious about these biscuits. They look like mini toasts. Perfectly shaped and painted golden brown. Big enough to hold comfortably in my hand and small enough to dip in my tea cup. I take a sip of my tea first. Hot and just sweet enough. I grab the hard biscuit from the centre plate and bring it close to my nose. I take a deep breath in; nutty roasted goodness. I slowly dip the cookie in my hot tea and hold still for 30 seconds. I put the moist part of the biscuit in my mouth and wait for it to melt on my tongue. I’m immediately transported to my grandmothers living room in Tehran where my younger brother and I are watching afternoon cartoons and having a snack. Tea and biscuits. The warm taste makes me feel like I’m ten again. It’s hard to believe it’s the exact same biscuit. The same texture, and smell. The same taste and feeling on my tongue. Perhaps it’s the same tea too? Maybe Homa time traveled and snatched that biscuit from that afternoon with my brother. She must have. She must have done it to mess with me. The biscuit. The sweet tea. My grandmother. Thanks Homa!
Have you ever tasted something that immediately took you back to a different time and place? What was it, and how did it make you feel?
Have you ever tasted something that immediately took you back to a different time and place? What was it, and how did it make you feel?