A bowl of steaming beef stew can be one of the most profound expressions of “I love you” some people will ever receive, or give. And how that meal is served can mean the difference between communicating “Here’s your damn dinner,” and “You make my knees weak, and I’ll look after you as best I can for the rest of my life.”
But even if that doesn’t motivate you to spend a few bucks and take a little time in setting aside a delightful corner for delicious peace and sustenance, here’s a little secret that might get you there.
People wouldn’t be so fat if they dressed their table better.
This core tenent from the excellent book French Women Don’t Get Fat appeals to both my artistic soul that desires to be saturated with Beauty and my artistic backside that desires to fit into my favorite Not Your Daughter’s Jeans.
Her theory in a peanut shell: my spirit craves a baseline of aesthetic pleasure.
By creating an intentional focus on the pleasures available on the peripheral leading to the moment of swallowing a forkful of mashed potato, I can expand the sensual experience and satisfaction to the point of almost being full before I bend my elbow for that first bite.
What a gift! I now give myself an extra ten minutes at the market to find a cheese we’ve never tried before or choose a perfect field-ripened tomato. We hover over that pot of simmering fragrant bouillon, and imagine the one herb that will make this particular chicken soup unique and delightful, never before created, anywhere. I light some candles and savor the moment the wick catches. Sometimes I’ll remember to pick a new CD, or choose a new angle for the napkin, or place the bread so it catches the light and glows.
I don’t remember to be this intentional every time, but when I do, the meal becomes a thing of Beauty.
And if the idea has appeal but seems a bit over the top for you, here’s an easier approach: turn off the TV.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I’d like any of your recipes for “unique and delightful” chicken soups to go with the recipe you previously provided for homemade egg noodles – which I thought I’d try my hand at this week.
Request accepted. Stay tuned for said recipe, which we’ll post as a blog entry this week in case anybody is interested.
Of course it’s all about the content!!! As Susan wrote “the presence of a beautiful romantic lifestyle”.
Oh, I couldn’t agree more…it’s food for the soul and the eyes and the heart not, just your stomach, that we need more of! And you could paint it!
Janette, that’s a great idea. However, as it is, we spend so much time before meals realizing how beautiful it looks and yelling “Quick! Get the camera!” that sometimes it’s cold by the time we actually start to eat. If Rick were to do a study on every one, we’d starve!
Kathy, I love your post! I had a feeling that I wrote this:-)
Your philosophy of life is so close to mine!! Once I had wrote a story called “A Well-Dressed Life”. It is about how easy is to make your and your close people’s life beautiful and enjoyable. I would share it with you if it would be in English.
Hi Gayane,
Thanks for your comment. I would LOVE to read your story. Is there some way to translate it? Or just send it in Armenian and I’ll see if I can figure it out.
This is not just a beautifully romantic dinner table, this evokes the presence of a beautiful romantic lifestyle.Well done.
Susan, thanks so much for your kind words. You are obviously a keen observer of human nature
hmmm, I think I recognize that red wine.
Suzie, you are GOOD!!
love it – what a rule to live by. makes me want to go out and invest in new linens and all sorts of accouterments. or at least keep an eye open for some good vintage thrifting this summer!
Vintage thrifting is the BEST! That’s the real deal (sorry
). But really, it so isn’t about stuff, but about intention. And intention coupled with a respect for the planet and previously appreciated moments makes it all even better.
love you, Kate.