Food is one of my favorite subjects because I grew up in food cultures. For me food counts as "entertainment," as going to a concert or the movies might for someone else. While foodies know that food is more than fuel, there is also more to food than the surprise of a clever new taste combination or the goodness of a sunripened peach in August. Food provides us with energy in more ways than the obvious. For one, there is the life energy we ingest with our food. It is most vibrant in freshly plucked and raw foods, and least in processed foods because they are so far removed from their origins as something that actually grew in the ground somewhere sometime. And with meats a consideration is how the animal was raised and treated, what it ate, and how it found its end. This all finds its energetic way into our meal.

On the other hand, food feeds the soul when enjoyed in a harmonious atmosphere and in company. That kind of food experience literally nourishes us spiritually. And it sure doesn't have to be fancy to be meaningful. It can be a picnic, it can be an ethnic festivity, it can be a potluck, or an outdoor meal. It's more about the overall experience, what goes with it - friends, the setting, the conversation.

Bon Appétit! Guten Appetit! Buon Appetito!