Hungry like the wolf
"Like a pack of wolves, they fell slavering to the feast. Within seconds, the carcass was devoured and only a whisper of the kill remained."
Any one who has brothers and has competed for food at the dinner table should read this NYTimes article on sibling rivalry titled One Long Food Fight. I wasn't even aware that this was a 'thing' as I didn't grow up with boys around. I only have a sister, my precious Siri, and our closest friends growing up were a set of sisters as well. The cousins we hung out with during all the holidays? Also a pair of sisters. Which is why last night left me dumbfounded and amazed.
Yesterday evening, a group of old college friends and I got together for some food and fun. As its been a week since I've made food for anyone, I decided to whip up some sour cream chicken enchiladas for us. Keeping in mind that I would be feeding four guys in their 20s, I doubled the recipe, which would normally serve six. We sat down and within 10 minutes, the four of them had cleaned up enough food for twelve people. And chased dinner down with some ice cream. I don't think I said anything the entire time, just sat there bug-eyed and with my jaw on the floor.
Whatever silent competition they were having - who can eat the fastest and most - I was not a part of that universe and simultaneously, I can now understand why families with boys shop at warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club. Although there weren't any leftovers, not even for one of the guy's girlfriends who dropped by later, at least I know that they liked my cooking.
Any of you bloggers out there experience this frenzied feeding phenomenon before?
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Yesterday evening, a group of old college friends and I got together for some food and fun. As its been a week since I've made food for anyone, I decided to whip up some sour cream chicken enchiladas for us. Keeping in mind that I would be feeding four guys in their 20s, I doubled the recipe, which would normally serve six. We sat down and within 10 minutes, the four of them had cleaned up enough food for twelve people. And chased dinner down with some ice cream. I don't think I said anything the entire time, just sat there bug-eyed and with my jaw on the floor.
Whatever silent competition they were having - who can eat the fastest and most - I was not a part of that universe and simultaneously, I can now understand why families with boys shop at warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club. Although there weren't any leftovers, not even for one of the guy's girlfriends who dropped by later, at least I know that they liked my cooking.
Any of you bloggers out there experience this frenzied feeding phenomenon before?
Yes! I have one brother and he eats so much food! Also, I notice that the only thing Adam gets competitive with me about is food. If we're sharing something he'll eat faster than me to make sure he gets more. I think it must be instinct or something... that or they're just little piggies.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up as the only child (my half-brother is 25 years older and didn't live with us) I never experienced this phenomenon until we visited my dad's best friend, who had 4 sons. We at at the kitchen island while the adults sat at the table and I swear I tucked my arms into my sides to avoid losing a hand. Boys are ravenous!
ReplyDeleteGreat story. Yes, I remember an event where kitchen staff were preparing finger food for a reception for days ahead of the event. On the big day the food was served and disappeared within fifteen minutes. All gone. It left me speechless too.
ReplyDeleteHAHA. Well my husband eats enough for 6...so yes, it's feeding frenzy every day.
ReplyDeleteNot with my own boys (yet), but I´ve heard stories so I´m preparing myself..! :-D
ReplyDeleteI grew up with my younger brother mostly and he was a very VERY picky eater so my mom never bothered going to Costco or Sam's but as he got older, now in his 20's, whenever we both come home to my parents' house, he eats all their food. She preps by going to Costco a few days before to stock pile ($300 worth!) on junk food and easily microwavable stuff LOL.
ReplyDeleteHaha so funny! I grew up with only one sister too and my geez my mom expected us to eat like boys!
ReplyDeleteYou should have seen the portions we were given when were were mere little lasses!
Cooking for four guys must have been tough! But then again, boys will eat anything? :-P
I have no bro, but I compete with my sis when eating pizzas
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. So it really wasn't anything too personal when my older sister tried to set me free in the wild. :)
ReplyDeleteMy middle brother used to eat hunched over his plate, with his non-fork hand placed on the table on the far side of his plate--it appeared he was trying to protect it from being taken. Weird.
Soooo, this is what I have to look forward to when my son gets older when he brings all his friends home after school for a snack? Perhaps I should start some kind of savings fund now. ;)
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Well, I have two boys but they're still young, so I haven't seen this yet. Soon enough, I guess:)
ReplyDeleteha, funny, my brother and my cousin are the same. they eat more in a day than me in a week :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband practically inhales his food. I always tease him that something must have happened when he was younger. And this makes me think that boys remain bottomless vacuums well into adulthood.
ReplyDeleteha ha so funny :) my nephew is just like the same :)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Bong's Belleza
25 Winners Firmoo Giveaway
yes i grew up with three brothers and they too were ravenous beasts!
ReplyDeleteJessica
http://www.jumpintopuddles.com
i've never heard of this phenomenon!
ReplyDeleteCheck your e-mail, Rooth. You won the Tuscany cookbook from my blog! Your post makes me chuckle and wrinkle my nose at the same time. I grew up with brothers. Pigs, I say! I have a monster appetite myself growing up alongside these brutes! No, seriously, I'm joking...but only partly. Our society pushes boys to eat, eat, eat...but look at men...they are pudge, pudge, pudge. It catches up!
ReplyDeletetoo funny! i really don't recall my bro being that way growing up, although my boyfriend did eat 3 grilled cheese sandwiches to my one at lunch today. after asking how many he wanted i had to keep asking, 3? seriously? 3?
ReplyDeleteyour enchiladas sound super delicious!
My husband comes from a home of 3 boys and I've heard some crazy stories about how much food they went through when they were in high school. Glad I only have one boy!
ReplyDeleteThat times article was interesting. I only have a sister too..
ReplyDeleteYes, I've totally witnessed something similar. And it came from my husband's family - they seriously wolf down food like they haven't eaten in years. I eat Thai style, where we all share food and each person takes one small bite at a time from the serving platters, and eats everything slowly over an extended period of chatting - and compared to them, I consider myself a fast eater. When I went to visit my husband's family in Berlin I learned different. I had to learn to heap everything I wanted on my plate right at the start or it would be gone before I finished whetting my palate.
ReplyDeleteMy brother used to make food disappear when he was a teenager. He would eat 6 apples at a time and tip his head back and empty a carton of berries in about 5 seconds.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't really happen at dinner but nothing in the fridge was safe from him.
Sour cream enchiladas, I'm not surprised they vanished that fast. I have never experienced this eating frenzy though.
ReplyDeleteHaha, you should attend one of our family gatherings... but then again, South African's are known to over-cater any event with loads of left-overs afterwards :)
ReplyDeleteMy brother and I had a hard time rationing the items in the cupboard/fridge when we were little, like fruit roll-ups, potato chips and squeeze-its. We'd eat all of ours AND our poor sister's before the school week was over - meaning she'd get left with less exciting things like carrot sticks for a snack. Fast forward 15 years and my brother and I go through our PAYCHECKS the fastest, and, well, my sister's discipline is finally paying off. :)
ReplyDelete