| Bruschetta | Mussels with white wine |
|---|---|
 |  |
Taking pictures of food before eating a meal for me is often a ritual the same way saying grace was when I was religious. It is a way of pausing and reflecting before eating. It acknowledges the hard work put into making the food, both my own and others. It is a celebration of the meal. It is a form of giving appreciation and thanks. It is a way of filling a human need for ritual that was often missing as formally structured religion became less prominent in my life. Food pictures are essentially a form of prayer for me.
But why do I share the pictures then?
2 reasons. First and foremost, food should be shared with others. Even before the pandemic, emphasis on the nuclear family reduced the amount of time we break bread together as an extended community. While things like barbecues, dinner parties, and brunch with friends helped, there is still something missing about not eating with community on a regular basis. Since the pandemic, I feel this even more strongly. I can't cook for everyone I love right now but I can share the joy of food in other ways like sharing pictures. In some cases, this sharing even gets to be extended into giving others ideas for food they can use in their own home as well.
Secondly, unlike bragging about praying, I don't think there's anything wrong with bragging a little about cooking. I try not to be conceited about my baking or cooking, and I'm certainly no master chef, but I do take pride in what I bring to the table. Sometimes my sharing of food pictures is a little self-deprecating - "I'm exhausted and here's me serving my kids beans and weiners" - but often I'm just really proud of learning a new recipe or sharing how wonderfully an existing recipe turned out. It's a nice feeling knowing that others would enjoy sharing a meal with me if it were possible.