a passion for food

I feel so blessed to have my favorite foodie as a guest poster today.  Dawn has delighted me from the first moment when I read about her habit of spontaneous clapping for the little joys of life.  That's my kind of lady.  I've watched Dawn's beautiful wedding, her pregnancy, and have enjoyed her happy, smiling little peanut.  Dawn is a loving, funny wife and mother, a baby food maker, breast cancer survivor, and all-around passionate woman.  Dawn's passion for food always inspires me to eat with attention and to try new things.  I'm pretty sure, that if you ever eat a meal with her she'll photograph your food;  and make you smile.  


Eating, it's something we do every single day.  Some of us enjoy food, some of us are obsessed with it.  There are people who calculate everything they eat, people who never think twice about a meal, and I've heard that there are even people who simply eat to live.

I am passionate about food and the power it holds.  It sustains us, it cures, it heals, it gathers us together and unites us.

I could write about this love affair in so many ways.  I could talk about the comfort of the nursing baby and the warmth of his mama and the sound of her heartbeat as so holds him close.  

We could share stories of home-cooked meals and the people who prepared them.  It's amazing how just the scent of a dish can take you to a place, a celebration, a person, a moment.  It's incredible the memories built into a single bite.  

My passion for food is in the eating, the enjoying, the sharing, and the remembering.  It's in the memories of children licking the spoon and running fingers through the frosting.  It's the family gathering for dinner, each with their own task of setting the table or preparing dishes.  It's chatter over a meal prepared with love.

We could talk chowder in a bread bowl by the bay, hot dogs at the ball park, pancakes on Sunday morning or chocolate-dipped strawberries by candlelight.  It's hot cocoa and cookies on a rainy day or s'mores by the fire.  

The passion for food is in the process of preparing it.  Perhaps it's the careful planning of someone's favorite dishes.  Maybe it's the care taken in selecting the finest ingredients.  It could be a walk through the garden to see what nature offers up.  It's the kneading of the dough or the perfectly presented three course meal. It's the excitement of creation and the joy of watching satisfaction spread across someone's face.

I could talk about the anticipation of trying new restaurants, new dishes, new ingredients, and new takes on old favorites.  Our passion for food shows as we eagerly await the next course with barely restrained enthusiasm.

It's the way that although we may share the same recipe... my food is just never as good as when mom makes it.  It's the way a bite of a particular dish can bring you home, no matter where you are.

Food is common ground for every person on every continent in the world.  In every culture it is a way to soothe and to celebrate.  In every place you will find someone who enjoys the adventure of eating, someone who loves to feed the people around them, someone who appreciates every bite of their meal.

I could talk about all these things for days, but I suspect you have your own passion for food.

Perhaps right now you're thinking of that first bite of your favorite dish.  You might be remembering the smell of the kitchen on a particular holiday as family and friends gathered around to celebrate.  Maybe you're already planning to make your family's favorite dish as you picture the smiles and sighs that will accompany it.

Treat yourself to a memorable meal and join me in my passion for food.

Explore, indulge, and enjoy every single bite.