Friday, May 18, 2012

Working hard for your food


This week our class’s adventures have included seeing how one local man farms using horses, how to milk a goat and make cheese from that milk, watching Big Night, a movie essentially about good food, and planting various veggies in a garden.  After doing all these activities, it makes me really want to appreciate my food more, but I have found that, for the most part I don’t.  There have been a few things, though, that I’ve eaten recently that seem to taste richer and be much more enjoyable and fun to eat.  For example, the other day I was able to learn how to milk a goat, and then made cheese from that fresh milk.  Eating the cheese we had seasoned and the ricotta cheese we had made was probably the best meal I have had in a long time, and it was just cheese and bread.   Putting in that work and knowing that I had contributed to the creation of that meal made it that much better.  Usually to eat some cheese all I have to do is go down two flights of stairs, into the kitchen, and take a slice out of the refrigerator.  And the most work I ever have to do is to get in my car and drive a few minutes to pick some up.  The simple act of actually interacting with your food makes you enjoy it and appreciate it that much more.  Similarly, when my roommate and I cooked and ate fresh asparagus from my garden at home, it was exceptionally delicious.  While I did not cut these actual asparagus, I knew exactly where they came from, and I had had the experience of cutting them before, so I understood the process behind getting them.  After experiences like that, I understood Primo’s attitude toward food in the movie Big Night.  Finding a quicker and cheaper way of making something is not worth sacrificing the quality of the food.  Having something that you (or someone else) put that much effort into makes a meal special and meaningful.

1 comment:

  1. Authenticity really does make a different in regards to food preparation. This did not occur to me until recently, but now I respect those diners and restaurants that may take the extra minute to prepare a meal properly.

    Early today, as keith, Nico, two others and myself were floating down the river we decided to pull over and enjoy the burgers and steaks we had brought with us. Unfortunately, someone forgot to bring the charcoal for my mini grill. So we, as awesome men, decided to build our own fire. After doing so we prepared our burgers (without buns, cheese, plates, forks, or really anything) to perfection. Despite the lack of condiments and utensils we all seemed to enjoy that meal more than anything else we have had in a good while, obviously omitting the meals from class.

    We did not, by any means, sacrifice any quality when preparing such a great meal together.

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