Ahhh...the joy of food

The joy of food, REAL food is one that can only be enhanced by company to share it with. It is extremely easy to forget; and for some unfortunate people to never have even experienced the pure pleasure of biting into your first taste of a meal prepared with much anticipated ingredients, ones whose arrival you have been awaiting for months. A ripe, juicy red tomato bursting with flavor- yes, actual flavor (not to be confused with those imitations you find at the grocery store) and a tangy pesto made with freshly picked arugula, organic garlic from the neighbor, and rich olive oil make for a dinner you have to just sit back and enjoy each flavorful bite.

We have all become so accustomed to being able to eat any kind of food at any time in the season that we have lost the patience for that first fresh red tomato of the season, instead we just buy flavorless, nutrition poor look-alikes year round because we are a society of immediacy- we want what we want now...we don’t want to wait for the real thing.
I am reading a book, A Thousand Days in Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi, which describes in great detail the amazing locally grown, seasonal foods they eat each day...freshly pressed olive oil, artesian bread still oven warmed, hand rolled ropes of pasta, wine from the vineyard...and best of all company to savor each bite with. How have we gotten so far away from the celebration that eating should be? A victory of yet another day with fresh food, good friends and family, and a way to reflect on the effort that went into making each flavor come together on your plate; the land who nurtured the seed, farmer who toiled away to grow the vegetable, and the cook who brought it all together with love and their own artistic flare. Instead it seems that most of us pop in a frozen dinner or open unidentifiable ingredients from a can just to fill our stomachs and empty hearts while eating alone.
I hope that if nothing else this summer I will learn again the joy of eating real food, to see the entire process that goes into it, from seed to table, and to enjoy the company of others while savoring each bite. (This is where my shameless plug comes in for you to visit- see, we’ll even cook for you!!!)

Oh yes, and we have lots of weeding to do...by hand...so come on up and join us!!! :)