Eating

 Eating food has become biblical in that  it is one of the most important parts of  our human history. I hark back to primitive times when finding a food source was the major goal of human creatures. Those who found the most food with the least trouble, were the ideal. Women and children did the food gathering and gardening, while the males were out chasing down beasts to kill and complete the menu.  Cooking  food in varying ways, as time went on, added yet another layer of its pleasurable qualities. Fuel needs and the storing and preserving of foods became part of  the pursuit of making our lives easier. The aim was to enjoy sustenance all year long. Ingenuity in food marketing over the centuries led us to our present methods of feeding an overpopulated world. In spite of the technology race that even enters kitchens, there continues to be hunger. Some happening in our very neighbourhoods. Food is important as a socializing more, too. Elaborate service and display, and the decoration of foods is status and also now, commercial entertainment. In our health quests, we learn what foods are most nutritious and how we should achieve that goal. And after all of the advice on the benefits of a well-rounded food plan, the goal for millions is how not to eat food. Some foolish nonsense came along through fashion sorts, pushing "beauty" as they saw it, as being dangerously skinny. The closer models looked to a wire clothes hanger, the better some joked. Fashionistas had fat remove surgically and even ribs removed to look thin. Oh dear. Thin is one of the most ridiculous aims of Man's misdirected  inventions.  Coming at us from every angle, are the ideas of "experts" who present the "best" ways to not feed our bodies: fasting programs, specific eating plans, regimented lists, abstinence of certain foods by substituting, complicated methods of preparing foods and the consumption of only one item of food, are among the silly examples. Diet advice is a money maker, and none of it works as it should. The reason is that is that it defies reason. Most of us, simply want to sit down and eat in the happy company of others and enjoy the matter of consuming food. We prefer, in our secret private lives, to love what we put into our mouths. In short, it's something that makes us feel good. Or should. My favorite restaurant that is packed all week, and has been for fifty years, is modest, has a lovely view outside, a friendly ownership and a clean, pleasant atmosphere. When you enter, you are greeted by the owner who is watching business to learn about those who use it. The plates are simple: the food isn't a chef's ego toy. A carrot looks like a carrot as do all the other vegetables that are pleasantly herbed and prepared. Everything on your plate is what it is, not a doodad, but something natural you want to eat. You don't see big trucks of pre-prepared produce in the back lane of this place. You see cooks in the kitchen, working as a team putting out plain and simply, what will make you feel content. And yes, it is authentic of a certain country, but in a fashion that dares intelligently flavour your plate.  A returned plate with items not eaten is noted.  In short, it is "your" restaurant. When you tip your servers, you do it because they've done the job they were hired for. No fancy uniforms, no snooty attitudes, no joking, no tip hyping, just simple, good service. If those in my company begin unfortunately  to talk at my table about  diets and losing weight, I promise myself, I will never sit with them again. Skinny is never pretty. It's not even human for that matter: biologically or historically. Obese is medical. Eating good food, and loving it, is joyful.