Back To Basics

At one point during the years my husband and I were raising our children, it dawned on me that whenever I prepared a particularly delicious meal and we enjoyed it together at the table, our collective mood would be lifted. Our physical and mental strength increased, we became animated – not taking events or ourselves too seriously –– and individually we regained a sense of balance.

A man may be a pessimistic determinist before lunch and an optimistic believer in the will’s freedom after it. ~ Aldous Huxley

It was all about getting back to basics. Back to fundamentals. Back to our foundations.

Food is our common ground, a universal experience. ~ James Beard

Chefs, cuisine writers, and publishers recognize this imperative. Just take a look at these popular cookbook titles: Back to Basics Cooking; Back to Basics American Cooking; Back to Basics: Starting from the Beginning; The Singing Chef: Back to Basics; The New Basics Cookbook; The Very Basic Cookbook; Grandma’s Back to Basics All Natural More than Just a Cookbook; The Basic Art of Italian Cooking; and, two of my favorites – Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics and Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family by Art Smith.

In his introduction, Chef Smith writes:

Getting back to the table allows us to love and nurture each other and renew connections to our families – however they may be configured in this diverse and ever-changing society. Such connections are crucial in a fast-paced world where we feel more disconnected every day. One of the best ways I know to restore that daily balance is to sit down at the table…

We should all think about returning to the sanctity of the table, where we can rebuild our families, heal spiritually and physically, and reconnect with those we love. The table is a familiar, uncomplicated, and friendly place where we can celebrate family, friends, food, and life’s many blessings.

The word “sanctity” has been consciously chosen because it is at the table that we communicate intimately by sharing life-sustaining nourishment.

Basic nourishment and basic camaraderie – a spirit of friendly good-fellowship – the two go hand-in-hand like bread and butter, which is the reason good food and table conversation are the perfect pairing.

But what makes good table conversation and how does one become not only a good conversationalist, but someone who puts into practice the understanding that participation by all surpasses the pontification – no matter how engaging – of a few?

This will be the subject of next week’s post: Pairing Fine Food With Synergistic Conversation. Until then, ponder these words of the grand dame of Southern cooking, Edna Lewis:

I kept thinking about the people I grew up with and our way of life. I realized how much the bond that held us had to do with food.

Tagged as: Aldous Huxley, Art Smith, Barefoot Contessa, conversation, Federico Fellini, food, James Beard, meal sharing