Food Is Love, Love Is Food

When I met my now-husband it became clear early-on in our friendship, before we were even dating, that we had had two very different upbringings.  One difference is how we think of and interact with food.  In my family, it always seems that whenever we are together, the whole focus is on the food.  We've always been like that.  We plan a gathering or meal and plan the food.  Then we talk about the food that we are going to be having.  We prep and plan and shop for the food, then we cook the food (with as much flourish as possible), we eat the food, talk about it, and then talk about what we will eat next time. We don't just eat food, we really get into it, discuss it, almost worship it. 

Thanksgiving 2006

Besides food being enjoyable to eat, for us it's also always been an occassion.  Since a young age my sisters and I knew how to order at nicer restaurants... and what to order, too.  (Alaskan King Crab Legs and Baked Brie for my 10-year-old self was a fave.  ooolala.)  We simply don't have any sort of family get-together without whipping out some fabulous new dish.  We have gone wine-tasting as a family more than once.  Food-related items have taken up a large percentage of Christmas gifts over the years.

We always hang out in the kitchen
Christmas 2006

Why?  Are we snobby foodies?  Are we trying to outdo Giada DeLaurentis with our faboo creatons?  Hardly.  I know that each and every member of my family can whip up a gourmet meal, but they are also fine eating a cheese sandwich and some chips.  I don't think it's just about liking food, either.  We all like food, right?  Dan's family likes food a lot, but they don't treat it the way the Grunds do... it doesn't become a huge event in itself. 

The spread at Dan's and my casual
wedding reception, August 2007

I think it's more about the way we feel about each other.  The older I get the more I realize how great our family's bond is.  Even now, when we are all spread across the country and don't see each other nearly as often as we'd like, I still feel very close ties to my family.  And the thing I miss most is sitting down to a tableful of food with each other and feasting.  Food is one way we communicate with each other.  I cook for people to show I care about them.  I want to make something they will love and that will make them happy.  I try new things and add special touches because I want it to be special for them.  When I lived on my own and had no one to cook for, I wasn't cooking much of anything interesting at all.  I had a few standbys that I cooked repeatedly.  Now that I am married and we have friends coming over once in a while, I make a point of making dishes I prepare for others a little more special.  Even if it's not the most exciting dish, it still comes from the heart.  Food really can be a language.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2007

This is one aspect of our family, that we enjoy celebrating and spending quality time by cooking and sharing fabulous food.  I still treat food that way even if I'm nowhere near my family.  Dan didn't really get the way I felt about serving food at first, but I think he's starting to understand that food for me is communication.  Cooking something special for the people I love, or sharing quality time over a great meal out, that is love to me.

The Grund Girls feasting at 9th Door,
Spring 2009

 

Food is love, and love is food.

And, seriously, people... HAPPY eating!