I received a comment today on a food related website that my idea of food and what has happened to our relationship with ingredients, land and people is because I am food obsessed and out of touch with reality. This is insulting but I honestly think deep down HE is the one who is out of touch with reality. He told me "food is not meant to be obsessed over, it is meant to be enjoyed...and all these types of comments come from crazy, organic, hippies... you obviously have no life and no children... and know nothing about the real world and what it takes to make it... you should learn what it means to sacrifice yourself for another [meaning his children, I am assuming]..." Interesting, huh?
At first I didn't really give this much thought but the longer I pondered what to write today his comments kept coming back to me. And I actually feel bad for this person because while it may seem "crazy and obsessive" how much I think about food it certainly does not mean I don't enjoy it. It's quite the contrary, I deeply and profoundly love it.
To me food is something that should not go by the wayside when you have children or when you work two jobs or when basically life gets hectic. Meals, cooking and eating together should NEVER be compromised. Work is very important, it allows us to have a livelihood and to pursue other interests. However, it is the obsession with success in work and its demands on us to work late hours, have your blackberry on, always be available that it stripping away the things that truly matter in this world. It is the stresses of life that are toxic. Getting back to family, returning to a simpler way of life one where every minute of every day isn't planned or managed. Where people sit, talk and listen to what has to be said. There is a lack of human relationships these days and coming back and returning to the heart of the house (aka the kitchen) with reunite us with ourselves, our family members and to food.
Tonight, cook something as a family, turn off outside distractions, sit together, enjoy being united and being an active listener to one another throughout the meal.
