When I was growing up, my father was in the Army and we moved 10 times before I was 12. My goal in life as an adult was to stay put for a while, and since last year marked 40 years since I moved to Roanoke, I think I’ve accomplished that.
These days, I’m so desperate to see new places and try new things that when my husband and I took a vacation to the Eastern Shore in December, we spent an entire day driving to every little wide spot in the road we could find. It was a great trip — we visited several wonderful museums and had lunch at a lovely seaside restaurant. But having done that, I’m now eager for more.
After recently re-reading “National Velvet,” I want to go to Sussex, England, where the book is set. Yeah, it has beautiful beaches and breathtaking landscapes, but I’m really all about the food. And of course, being excited about English food is a dead giveaway that I’m not very well-traveled.
According to Wikipedia, Sussex is famous for such exotic dishes as Chiddlingly Hot Pot, Huffed Chicken, Sussex Churdles, banoffee pie, and Sussex Plum Heavies. I Googled some of these recipes and was disappointed to find that the ingredients are definitely less impressive than the names, so no more of that — it’s best that some things remain a mystery.
I’m not likely to visit Sussex any time in the near future, but when I get there, I hope I can find a slice of Lardy Johns. Or a bowl. Or a glass. I’m not even sure how that stuff is served. But I want some, anyway.
— Betsy Biesenbach, a reader in Roanoke
Get local news delivered to your inbox!