Indiana  - Food may no longer be my "business," but it continues to occupy my thoughts and no more so than on a recent road trip with my sister, Susan.

Breezing along Indiana back roads in a brand new Camaro convertible (albeit rented), we were reliving our youth. From Susan's first suggestion of this pilgrimage, my taste memories fixated on fried Lake Michigan perch (served with a healthy portion of coleslaw) and a steamed hot dog and hot dog bun (washed down with a B&K root beer and served by high school carhops on a tray hanging off the driver's side window). The only question was, was a re-creation of those memories too much to hope for?

Indeed, not!

Susan located the spot where a cousin used to have a seasonal cafe, and the new owners carried on the fried perch tradition. Although it appears that Lake Michigan perch have either been fished out or declared an endangered species, Bridges Waterside Grille knew its clientele and imported fresh perch from Lake Superior to keep the customers coming back for more.

Ah, the memories...those perch were as delicate, sweet, and succulent as any pulled from the water off the Michigan City pier. In fact, they were spot-on. And while there was no longer a B&K Root Beer stand just off the waterfront, we stumbled upon one driving through Logansport on our way back to Indianapolis. And sure enough, it is the combination steamed bun, steamed dog that marries into a perfect taste/texture sensation. Living high, we splurged with root beer floats, making the experience truly exceptional. B&K root beer is like no other--and the ice cream only added to the silky smooth sensation.

So I have now had my very own Proustian food memory experience. And having encountered this perfect storm of tasteful bliss, I wouldn't begin to try to recreate it.

Thoughts on Writing
Memories matter; but the same goes for punctuation, as Roy Peter Clark succinctly points out in his book The Glamour of Grammar.

Though the period is a beautiful thing to behold all by itself, using the ellipsis creates space for thought, quotes take a word beyond its traditional meaning, a question mark adds suspense, and the exclamation point validates emphasis.

Just be sparing.