On Food

So why have I decided to join the ranks of millions who because they think they have something important to say have set up their own little forum to bloviate ad nauseum about anything and everything under the sun?



Because I too think I have something important to say.



You may agree, disagree, or not even care enough to have an opinion either way, but that's your opinion, and you know what is said about those.



I have not written a lot since college, but seeing as I am now writing of my own accord on subject matter of my choosing, I have decided to try my hand (ha ha) at it once again and delve into the world of food writing.

The reasoning behind this foray is both self-serving and (hopefully) educational for myself and others. I have developed a seemingly unstoppable addiction to all things culinary. I of course love to eat and cook, and am constantly trying new things both on my plate and in the kitchen. My pantry is well stocked, my palate is expanding, and my drawers and cabinets in my insufficient kitchen space are overflowing with tools and gadgetry. But this addiction has developed beyond the actual consumption and preparation of food. Now I am seeking to understand food. Of course I am not saying that I want to sit down with a carrot and talk about its hopes and dreams, but I do want to understand where it came from and why it so important and loved as food today.

I love real food. That is to say, I am a lover of the food that originates unaltered in the ground and on the hide. I am a lover of food that is nutritious and colorful in its original state. This love has grown into a desire to seek out food that is grown as naturally and as close to home as possible. I want to know the name of the farm where my food originated.

I love learning about the origins of food. I believe that food is an end result, a culmination of a people, a history, a culture, a language. I want to understand why certain foods and dishes have survived over time and are still loved today not only by those who created them, but by others far removed from its place and people of origin.

I want to figure out why we in this country have such an unhealthy relationship with food. I want to know why in a nation of such bounty we are becoming more and more unhealthy. I want to figure out why food makes us feel guilty. I want people to understand that indulgence is not always a bad thing. I want all of us in this country to take a lesson from the French, the Germans, Italians, and others and enjoy our food and appreciate its importance.

So for all of these reasons and probably a few more, I have decided to write about these issues. It is my hope that by putting these questions, thoughts, and beliefs down in written word I can find answers and increased knowledge and understanding, and hopefully help us all to enjoy such a vital part of culture worldwide.