Food Glorious Food

So in case any of you didn't know, I'm kind of obsessed with food. I love to peruse cooking magazines, watch the food network, and eat at lots of yummy restaurants. But as summer arrives, I seem to recall my love of food in a far deeper capacity.

I received my Rachael Ray magazine yesterday and have spent over 4 hours reading through it cover to cover. I love identifying meals that I'd make for myself, meals that I'd make with Herb in mind, and meals I'd make for many of my loved ones. As Rachael Ray says, the best way to someone's heart is through his or her stomach, and it's definitely one of my ways of expressing love.

I come from a long line of food lovers and food givers. I distinctly remember an afternoon when I arrived home from school and my Grandpa Read had made me scones and tea as a chance for us to spend some time together. Food is often an expression of love or of shared common experience in my family. Whenever one of our family members describes a trip they took, the story always centers around the places and foods they ate. And when we get together, we constantly are planning our outings around what we plan to eat.

Some of this love and obsession comes from food serving an unhealthy role in our lives. We enjoy eating sometimes as an alcoholic might enjoy drinking. It takes the place as a comfort in our lives, although I feel like I've made great advances in this area of my life. It is still a struggle in tough hours to avoid chocolate or cheese, but I'm getting better.

But more than an unnatural cure for difficult situations, I like to use food to express my love and care for others. So if I bring you a pan of rice krispie treats, it's because I'm stuck to you. If I bring you a plate of brownies, it's because I think you're sweet. I try to choose foods that reflect tastes and interests that I remember about the person I'm cooking for. Be it vegetarian, dislike for sauces or a food allergy to cilantro, I have your best interest at heart. Thus, if I invite you over for dinner, it's because I want you to be a part of my life. If I feed you, it's because I love you. It won't always be fancy, it won't always be decorative, and it might involve salad out of a bag, but even if it's not fancy, know it's heartfelt.

So now I'm off to try a new recipe with Melinda. Hopefully we'll be able to say Yum-O at the end and feel more loved by cooking for each other! Cook something for someone you love today and Bon apétit!