Food Matters

by Two Chums on November 9, 2017

Anyone who has been around Two Chums for any length of time probably knows that we love good food. We think good food really matters, but for more than the obvious reason.If you read our posts on food, you may have noticed that there are many that are about more than just a recipe or a method for making some yummy meal or dish. Many of our food posts have a story or a memory attached. Both Jackie and I have many memories that revolve around, or at least include, a meal of dish from our childhoods. Those connections are strong and in most cases very sweet ones.

Food, by definition, is nurturing and comforting when it is offered with true hospitality and love. In my home when I was growing up, the table was laden with delicious food at every meal. And every meal seemed to include at some point acknowledgement of how good the food at that meal was and then a discussion about what foods the next meal would bring. As we ate breakfast we were talking about what yummy thing we might be having for lunch later. At lunch we were anticipating the delights we would be enjoying at dinner. Still even with all this talk of food, mealtime was rarely just about food and eating. It was about our “togetherness” and our connections to each other. Meals and food, the nourishment they provided, and the love they represented, were the glue that bound us together…that in so many ways, binds us still. Just a bite of something today that my grandmother or mother or one of my aunts used to make years ago, can transport me back in time to that dining room table and the love and laughter and deliciousness that ensued there.

I regularly cook with my grandchildren. They all enjoy it, especially at the holidays when they come to help me bake our holiday pies and goodies. So when I came across a short article written by Sara Austin, the Executive Editor of Real Simple magazine, I knew we had to share it with you here on Two Chums. Here is how Sara described how important making a coconut cream pie could be:

Food is so much more than just something we eat because the clock says its meal time, or to stave off hunger, or satisfy our desire for something sweet or salty or spicy. It carries with it more than calories that give us energy. It carries memories and connects us to each other, our cultures, and our family history. It is a wonderful way to keep family, those still with us and those who have gone on, alive in our own hearts and vital to our children and grandchildren. As the holidays approach pull out a favorite treasured family recipe and don’t just make it, talk about it and the loved one who started it as a tradition in your family.

If your family doesn’t have those kinds of recipes, make something that reminds you of a favorite food from your childhood and share it with your family this holiday season. Or start the tradition of sharing family recipes with your children or grandchildren by passing down your own favorite recipes. Print out copies of some of your favorites on card stock, and give one to each family member. Or if you happen to have a hand written recipe from an older family member, take a photo of that recipe in his or her handwriting and print it out copies for your children or grandchildren.

And one of the best and most fun ways to keep these food traditions alive is to cook together. Even the youngest child in your family can have some simple job or opportunity to get involved in making meals. It is these times and food we share that builds happy memories and binds our hearts together through the generations.

As your family and friends gather this holiday season, remember you aren’t just making meals, you are making memories and ties that bind. In our desire for love, joy and abundant living…food matters 🙂