Tonight I was re-watching Julie & Julia, where there is a scene that got me thinking. The scene is where Julia and Paul are eating one of her first meals in France. In fact, it is the meal that unlocks the food passion in Julia. That meal was Sole Meunière, which Julia described as, “an opening up of the soul and spirit for me.”

In the film Julia, is brought to tears by the meal. Which got me thinking, “Have I ever had any meal that has been that meaningful to me?”

That kind of bummed me out! I mean, I love food, cooking and eating and feel cheated by not having this soul altering experience. Now don’t get me wrong, I have had some pretty amazing meals. There was that oyster tasting and roasted chicken at Zuni Cafe in San Francisco. Or the bagels I had from my buddy Jim at Big Bagel in Hansville, WA (granted I am a bit biased to those!) Or the first time I had spagetti, in Lawton Ok when I was 5 years old.

Those were all amazing foods, but soul shifting…maybe. They all have added to what I find good. Where is that amazing meal, where is that one dish that brings me to my culinary knees and I realize how far I actually have to go with my culinary education.

So I leave it in your lap, have you ever had that meal that you can taste no matter how long it was since you enjoyed it? Let us know what it was and what you feel when you think of it!