Food: A Philosophy

In days bygone, there was a tradition among the Bedouin tribes that they could do no harm to anyone who had eaten with them for three days.  (After that, I guess all bets were off.)  The reason for this is they thought it took three days for someone to digest the food eaten at their table.  But this points to a larger idea that there is a bond between those who share food.  Growing up, meals were always a very social event and the whole family always sat down together for every meal.

After we moved from New York to North Carolina, this took on a different tone because Dad would have to drive into Charlotte, which meant that everybody was seated at the table at six in the morning.  It even went beyond this, though, since in the summer, I would sometimes have friends over, and, no matter what they said, they, too, would be at the table.  The night before, Mom would always ask, “how many for breakfast?”  Dinnertime was no different.  If you were in the house when it was served, you were not only expected to be at the meal, but to participate in the conversation, and my Dad always made sure there was plenty to talk about.

The New Year’s Eve after I had turned sixteen, I was looking to shoot off with a few of my friends to Charlotte.  But, no.  They all wanted to stay at my house because on New Year’s Eve we always had a buffet laid out with prime rib, ham and turkey plus just about everything else you could imagine, and the evening was spent eating and talking and playing cards.  At the time, I may have been a little peeved about it, but now I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and these family traditions have grown into a philosophy about food, friendship and the social atmosphere surrounding it.

I know that everybody is too busy now to all sit down at table together, but we are only so busy because we choose to be.  In many households, there are more meals eaten out than there are cooked in the family kitchen.  I think this is a shame, and a waste, because with just a little effort, you can easily out cook 90% of any restaurants you would probably visit (and that’s with only the most rudimentary cooking skills).  But it’s so convenient, people say.  Phooey!  I also know that there are a great deal of people out there on cooking shows and cable channels, publishing cookbooks all about meals that you can cook quickly, eat quickly, and get back to your too hectic pace.  There are many times when this is necessary.  But necessity is something that should be avoided at all costs.

Similarly, there are quite a number of shows where either professional chefs or wanna-be chefs are shown rushing about like chickens with there heads off trying to make something out of a bunch of ingredients they have only just been shown.  I have worked in restaurants from short order up to high end, and you do have to rush around sometimes to get things out the window.  This is the main reason why I gave up restaurant work, because if I had continued, then cooking would have lost all its appeal.

A number of months ago, I came across the Slow Food Movement, which, in part, focuses on food that you grow yourself, that you take time to prepare, and then you linger over the meal.  Yes, I am aware that not everyone can have a garden in their yard (I don’t, but things may change next spring), but I would bet that there are Farmer’s Markets within a short drive, and this could be even better because I can’t think of too many things better than wandering around the stalls looking at and tasting the various foods.  The one in Columbia, MO is very good with not only fruits and vegetables, but also meats, cheeses and bread.  The last time I was out there visiting Mom and my sister, I walked through picking up a crusty baguette, some blueberries and cheese first.  It made a delicious breakfast while I made my way around all the stalls looking at the produce and talking to the farmers.

While the produce you find at your local farmer’s markets will probably be better and less expensive than you find at your grocery store, you also know that it has been grown locally and hasn’t spent two days in a truck before it was unloaded.  And again, one of the best things about going to the farmer’s market, is that it is a chance to slow down, take a look around, talk to the people who actually grow the produce, try new things and ask them how to cook it (this is how I learned endive and fennel were so good).  In my experience, they are always happy to talk and have some excellent ideas for preparing or cooking their produce.  That’s the whole point here.

This is a very busy world, but we must find time to slow down, to enjoy what we have, otherwise, what is the point of it all?  The best way to do that is over food.  At the very least, you should be able to find time to invite some people over once a month.  I am not talking anything formal, in fact, just the opposite.  Put out some antipasto things and sit and talk.  Involve people in the preparation and cooking of the food.  It doesn’t have to be fancy, but something that people can become involved in, even if only as a spectator.  A good friend of mine has dinner parties four times a year, based on what’s available for the season.  Experienced guests to these affairs know the best place to be is in the kitchen when things are going on; that’s where the action is.  While the food at these fetes is always excellent, there is nothing ever hurried about it, just sitting around the table, with good food, good friends, and good conversation.  What more could you want?

I will start posting some of the recipes I have come up with over the years in the coming weeks and months.  Given what I have said above, are they all going to be long, involved recipes?  Not at all.  In fact, many can be made in less than half an hour, but that isn’t the point.  The point is to share them with some friends, to take your time and don’t be concerned about when the food gets on the table.  Relax, talk, have a good time.  If you do it once, who knows, maybe you’ll find it becomes the best habit you have.