on food.
Food can be a really daunting thing, and it has been at different points throughout my life. What to eat, how much to eat to stay healthy, how often to eat- all of these are important questions, but moments in my life where I've over-thought their answers have been moments of numbness, and occasionally, moments of poor mental health.
As you may have guessed, this isn't a review, as much as a letter. After a beautiful trip to New York City with my girlfriend wherein we ate good meals and enjoyed each other's company, I'm experiencing a refreshed appreciation for what food can mean and do. I want to convey, as well as I can, why this blog matters to me, and why food and cooking are such important passions in my life, as central as reading, running, or writing. It can be more than a neutral object, or an object of anxiety and fear. It can be an object of joy.
Cooking, first, can be an expression of love. I’ve shown love to my family by preparing meals for them, and I've shown love to myself by cooking up the perfect lunch after a long run and sitting in the middle of my lawn, eating, enjoying the scenery. I can also use cooking to connect more deeply to my Indian heritage. Numerical measurements combine with abstract culinary desires to create a meal which speaks not just to flavor, but also to heritage and tradition. Cooking can be more than a utilitarian tool- it can be a display of love. I find peace when my sizzling dish hits the dining room table.
On the topic of dining out, in my experience, there are two sure-fire ways of getting to know a community: exercising around the area, and eating the popular foods. When you seek out new culinary experiences, you gain more than good taste or hunger satiation- you gain adventure and new connections. It's a method of interpersonal appreciation.
I don't have a perfect relationship with food. In fact, this blog and the Instagram account which inspired it have always been methods of gaining a more healthy relationship with what I eat. But, from reviewing and cooking food for a very small, run-of-the-mill blog, I've learned two things: First, don’t overdue it with pepper or soy sauce. And second, food can be a source of joy.
Let me know if you want to talk food, running, or writing with me, or if I can provide any dining recommendations. See you around.
