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I guess we all have favorite foods. My favorite is a beverage rather than a food item. If you know my family, you have probably guessed what it is. I LOVE COFFEE! It would be very difficult for me to live without it. As luck would have it, my brother owns a coffee house and it is one of my favorite places to be.

I do like many different kinds of food too.

My mom makes the best corned beef and cabbage. She invites my family over on Saint Patrick’s Day so we can celebrate our Irish heritage together.

My mother-in-law makes the best potato salad. She starts making potato salad on Easter and then we enjoy it on several occasions throughout the summer.

And now for the memories.

My grandpa Weber introduced me to banana ice cream. I remember sitting in grandpa’s blue Chrysler on our way to Klagge’s Ice Cream, which used to be located on the east side of Austin. My siblings and I asked grandpa what kind of ice cream he was going to get and he said, “My favorite, banana.” I didn’t know that they made banana ice cream, but I decided I had to try it. Grandpa was right, it was delicious.

My grandma Weber was a good cook, but my favorite treat at grandpa and grandma’s house was popcorn. Grandma made popcorn on the stove, the old fashioned way.  But the best part was the real butter complemented with just the right amount of salt. If my family and I were visiting my grandparents on a Saturday night, grandma always made popcorn. My siblings and I could hear it pop from the living room where we were watching the Saturday night lineup which included; “Bonanza,” “Lawrence Welk” and my favorite, “The Carol Burnett Show.” Grandma would bring us each a bowl of popcorn accompanied by Pepsi or strawberry pop.

My favorite dish is beef stew with dumplings. When I was growing up I always requested this for my birthday supper. I also requested banana cream pie for dessert instead of cake. I think I was a little spoiled, but that’s ok.