I believe in chocolate and in romaine, in indulgence and in simplicity. I believe in gathering around the table, pulling up a chair and nourishing ourselves with good food. The chopping of herbs, the measuring of flour, the toast and coffee we help ourselves to each morning are the simpler moments of our days, moments that I think are worth savoring.
I've come to understand that the food we consume and the ways in which we nourish ourselves are important. Food is not only fuel but also a way that we connect to one another, a way to access sensory memory, and a way to slow down and savor the deliciousness of the moment three times a day as we fill ourselves by the forkful. It is a facet of mindful living, an opportunity to discover the beauty of an everyday task, of chopping and mixing and gathering around the table.
I believe that learning to recognize the loveliness in the everyday, to embrace the sort of sacred beauty only discoverable in ordinary and commonplace things, just might be the saccharine sugar that makes life taste sweet even in bitter times. Perhaps we might discover, wide-eyed and curious, that there is much to be found even in the messes and the mundane, in simple moments and slow days, in the pantry and on the stovetop. It's intentionality. It's pouring peppery cabernet in the kitchen surrounded by good company. It's scooting your chair closer to the table. It's breathing in deep. It's tasting something delicious and rich and comforting that you’ve made with your own two hands. It's being present.
A harvest awaits. There is good food to be had, there are blessings to be seen and meals to share. There are memories to be made.