I have always been sensitive to smells and tastes, but this was too much. On a four day getaway with my husband in NYC, the city of my girlhood, I sat down to a sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese. I took the first bite–soft, chewy, crispy, nutty,  creamy, tangy, sharp. I burst into tears. Covering my face with my hands, my sobs alternated with laughing. Shock. Shame. To be so flooded with memories at 9 a.m. on a Monday morning in midtown. Fresh bagels were the central experience of my childhood. At least once … Continue reading It’s Not a Madeleine But by Rachel Lutwick Deaner →