Taste The World

Dear Friend,

Do you feel passionately about food? I know people who have passion about food: always wanting to learn, eat, experience, and travel to various places to try new foods. For some it’s about exploration and engaging all the senses, for others it’s being soothed by smells and tastes that bring them back to a particular time and place. I decided that I would live a bit on the edge when it came to trying new foods over the course of the next couple of months and this is what I learned: 1) I didn’t really know my favorite food - how could I have known without having tried a wide variety of foods? I was amazed to learn that there were foods I enjoyed even more than what I had considered my favorites. 2) I had too often dismissed food ideas on the basis of perception, which as we all know, is not always reality. I learned that it was unfair to make assumptions about something without trying it. 3) I had been missing out on a wonderful way to experience the richness of various cultures by not discovering the beauty of different cuisines. Consider Indian or Chinese cuisine: their dishes are a result of centuries of research and innovation. Hundreds of generations spent their time perfecting the foods. 4) I found that my health improved by adding variation to my diet. 5) I learned a new life lesson: when you say ‘no’ to a new food, you might just be saying ‘no’ to your favorite ‘all-time’ favorite dish, which you declined to try because you were too busy with the same old foods you always eat. What other kinds of opportunities have I been missing out on because of that mindset? I would have to say that by the end of my little experiment I found that I now do, in fact, feel passionately about food! How about you?

Always thinking of you, B