The first writing workshop I went to was taught by Nancy Aronie. She started off her class by telling the story of the first writers workshop she had been invited to, where the women were uppity and judged harshly…but the food was amazing. Nancy’s workshops have no judgement but yes, good food.
Today I was listening to an NPR interview with Toni Morrison, done a few years before her death. She was recounting her first writers workshop…and talked about the good food they served.
I think I’m meant to be a writer.
Either writers have food issues (probably), or most likely they are highly attuned to the senses. They observe the details: the taste, the smell, the look. Eating is more than sustenance: it is life itself.
I recently have had an ear infection which affected my jaw, and my ability to chew. I have a new appreciation for the role of teeth in the enjoyment of food. When one cannot chew their food, they miss out on the explosion of flavors. There is something in the physical action of breaking down the bite, and sending a splash of flavors cascading across the palate, that just isn’t experienced without said teeth involved. And without the pleasure of the full experience of eating, there just is no pleasure.
May you experience a mouthful of chewy delight today and into the new year!