Proustian memory: Steamed windows and chop suey

Proustian memory: Steamed windows and chop suey

A Proustian memory is the sudden, involuntary recall of a forgotten moment or experience, triggered by an aroma, taste or touch. It was a madeleine dipped in tea that sent Marcel Proust back in time. My latest Proustian memory — I’ve had many — occurred during a search for a recipe for French cassoulet. I opened a Julia Child cookbook and a letter from my mother fell out. She wrote it on a winter day in 2001, probably while sitting at the kitche…