Al Fresco

There is no sincerer love than the love of food. - George Bernard Shaw Wine is bottled poetry. - Robert Louis Stevenson

Confession: Two of my favorite times each day are my morning coffee and my evening glass of wine. I am in a constant state of dehydration, reminding myself to “drink more water, drink more water!” Yet I never have to remind myself to drink that coffee or wine! Along with getting my mind and body outside, enjoying, preparing, sharing and experimenting with food and drink is something I never tire of.

I spent an evening recently with a friend enjoying these passions. If I were to describe the evening in detail, I would title it My Perfect Evening and you would, undoubtedly, read it and say to yourself, “Oh my! That IS the perfect evening.” Regardless, the Cliff Notes version is a bottle of wine, a bit of tapas and a summer evening at the edge of the sea.

Other versions of what I believe are incredible memories like these are: a morning hike in the woods concluding with a picnic with a squirrel, a thermos with hot chocolate in my backpack for a break during snowshoeing, and delicious leftovers from last night’s dinner after paddling the kayak to a deserted island. And, I highly recommend reaching outside the box of a bottle of water and an energy bar when you head out into nature. Cheese with fruit and crackers, bean cakes (I will share that recipe - yum!!), crusty bread with tapenade, apples and melted caramel…get creative.

We share food with others to express our love, our hospitality or to celebrate. These are all expressions that Mother Nature shares with us every time we walk outside. Pack a cooler, fill the thermos, build a fire to cook over, but don’t ever hesitate to venture beyond your table to get outside and celebrate with your palate.