One of the best ways to start a conversation with someone is to simply ask, what's your favourite food or what are your top 3 restaurants where you enjoyed a great meal. Even when I look in the mirror and ask myself the question, I get excited. Sometimes my favs change depending on if I have been introduced to a new place that surpassed my expectations for great food and service. Now for a moment, think about your favourite food that you look forward to eating again. Close your eyes and visualise it, you may remember the amazing smells and the taste of that first bite.
Nothing brings good friends together faster than good food. In my family it was always a time to call a truce and work together to prepare a delicious meal with lots of teasing, laughter, chopping vegetables together, and sampling the food when someone wasn't looking. During the time of COVID, enjoying good times with others is what I miss the most. Food brings people together on many different levels. It's nourishment of the soul and body; it's truly love that you can taste, smell and feel in your heart.
As a boy, I was fascinated how tasty foods brought people together in my neighbourhood from all backgrounds and cultures. Through food, we are able to share our culture and heritage. Making food together seems to open our hearts to each other. Food helps me to exit my comfort zone of being afraid to try new things. For many years I refused to try eating oysters, regardless of how they were prepared. I would simply tell people that I hated them. One day the right person challenged me to just try one Oyster Rockefeller at a fabulous event with incredible food and cocktails. He offered me $20 to try one. We shook hands and I ate one with a huge frown on my face. To my surprise, I loved it and have been eating oysters ever since. When I lived in Paris a similar challenge was made to get me to eat Escargot and smelly cheese. Now I crave them both all the time.
I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively in my lifetime. It has been a great opportunity to observe others and learn from so many cultures. The one thing that stands out in my mind from travel to various countries is that food is the main ingredient that bring people together. It was the same feeling in France, Spain, England, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and so many other countries. In coming together we all had one interest, enjoying good food and conversation together. Whether it's for a celebration, in sad times or to come together to discuss a conflict, it's often done around the sharing of good food. During COVID, many of us ate more than we would normally eat. During difficult times we often turn to baking bread, desserts, or preparing meals that warms our heart. It feels like a big hug.
My memories of food brings me the most pleasure. Growing up with family in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana I was taught that food was an essential part of being a family and sharing love together. Enjoying good times with good friends is also a family that we each get to choose. Cooking together creates closer bonds and helps to build lifelong memories. It's a special time to listen, share, laugh, and talk with each other. Some of my favourite meals prepared as a child were:
Seafood Gumbo with Chicken and Okra
Jambalaya - A creole rice dish with prawns
Red Beans / White Beans / Black-eyed Peas with Rice and Cornbread
Fried Chicken
Smothered Pork Chops
Fried Catfish
Grits and Shrimp
Oxtail Stew
Sweet Potato Pie
In observing my elders prepare food, it taught me how to become better organised and set priorities throughout every phase of my life. I learned there are no mistakes because it's an opportunity to improve your skills. Over the past year I have learned a lot about enjoying tasty food. One of the things that I love about Australia is their great food. It would be challenging to find a restaurant that offers horrible food or bad service. If there is one, trust me, it won't be around for long. In many of my best-loved restaurants, I have never felt so pampered and satisfied. When this occurs, you can feel the love in the food served.
What can I say, I love food. At home we have been watching a new series called, Stanley Tucci Searching for Italy and with every bite that he takes I feel like I am in Italy tasting it too. It's one of the best programs about good food that I have watched in a long time. At the very beginning, it was apparent that sharing good food creates a lot of love and trust. Growing up with a mother that would cook enough food for an army and feed the neighbourhood is a reminder to be grateful for my life experiences and to show kindness to as many people as I can without any expectations. My mother taught me to share with others, even if it's barely enough for me.
When you have your next great meal, please think of me. Bon Appétit.
Commentaires