Green and red peppers feel frustrated and are on the brink of launching a gastronomical nuclear war. So are oranges, cereals, strawberries, chickpeas, cookies, and grapes. Not to say anything of breads and cheeses. They are incredibly angry over what they perceived to be their systematic abuse-and our own too. Before we know it, they will rebel and they will have no one to blame but one another.
Vegetables, fruits, meats, treats-you name it-are grossly misunderstood in this country. Most Americans, it seems, don’t take the time to listen to their food-even as their stomachs churn, their waists widen and their hearts stiffen. Look around. Watch what people eat and watch how they it eat. On the patio, in restaurants, in TV ads, even in American movies. (Ever noticed food and mealtimes play a more prominent role in European, Asian and Latin American films?) Most people don’t take the time to enjoy their food, to experience their food. Most fail to realize that food plays a paramount role in interpersonal and intra-personal communication.
The eclectic tastes, textures and aromas of the culinary concoctions we design and ingest say a lot about who we are, what we want, and who we want to be. Our meals change our emotions; they are also vehicles of our emotions. They let others know how we feel about them and how we feel about ourselves. They also tell us know how we feel about ourselves.
An airy quiche coupled with a brisk salad of tomatoes, olives, walnuts, onions and green peppers, lightly flavored with olive oil and red wine vinegar may say we feel fresh, friendly, healthy, and relaxed. A bowl of warm polenta could transmit our inner warmth. Curried chicken with rice, lightly saut