A classic phrase often heard in Mormon prayers is "bless this food to nourish and strengthen our bodies." It tends to be repeated rather thoughtlessly. (A rare exception involved my roommate praying over refreshments to be served at a church function. When she arrived at the customary place to invoke the "nourish and strengthen" phraseology, she paused to consider the nutritional value of brownies and punch and said instead, "please bless these refreshments to not harm us too much.") And yet we continue steadfastly to petition the Lord to nourish and strengthen our bodies via food whether it be asparagus, sweet potatoes, and pine nuts, or food of a less noble variety such as fudge, potato chips, and extra-crispy fried chicken.
While the food we eat does strengthen (or weaken) our bodies, what does it do to nourish and strengthen our souls, our hearts, and our relationships? Of all his endless options, the Lord uses food to symbolize essential pieces of his plan of happiness -- partaking of the fruit enabled Adam and Eve to plunge into mortal experience; Christ chose a meal - the last supper - to provide a lasting symbol of his redeeming sacrifice. Each week, we eat and drink in remembrance of Him. In our day-to-day interactions with each other, we demonstrate hospitality to one another with food. The aroma of baking bread is more than a sensory pleasure -- it is comforting. A green salad tossed with lettuce of varying shades of green, the vibrant purple of pungent onion, the rosy tenderness of a cherry tomato not only provides vital nutrients to our bodies, it also delights our senses with the inherent artistry. For me, chopping produce of any kind is therapeutic and high-quality ice-cream is a reliable salve for disappointment.
In this blog, we want to celebrate food and the myriad of relationships food cultivates. We want to describe how food can be a conduit of love and laughter and serve as the keeper of precious memories. With that, we invite you into our comforting kitchen.
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