Breaking Bread

For me, the simple definition of breaking bread is to share food. The meaning may have its roots Biblically, though I believe it is a spiritual experience; joining together with friends, or strangers, or family and sharing food, laughter, conversation, ideas, philosophies, advice, dreams, sorrows, love and almost always wine.

Somewhere around 2004 a group of friends and myself slowly started regularly ending our weekends with a Sunday dinner together. It began as a focus on the food. We were foodies for the most part. Well, let's be honest, it began as a focus on the food AND the wine. We started out with themes. Sometimes featuring an ethnic cuisine or an ingredient. A whole dinner centered around lemons or asparagus.

At times our Sunday dinners simply provided a platform to welcome various family members to meet all of our friends. If one of us had a relative that we felt was difficult to entertain for an extended (or even short) visit, we called our Sunday dinner "Operation Dilute". The theory that even a difficult relative can be tamed with numbers, great food and, of course, wine.

Over the years, we've shared weddings, births, deaths and a miriad of personal changes. We've grown in numbers and at times reduced in numbers but the constant has always been.. the food (and to be honest wine IS food right?).

I have long been considering blogging. I have been stymied for months (or years probably). Trying to figure out exactly what to blog about. I knew it would be food in some form or another. I wanted more than an online food diary. I wanted something that would grow with me but allow me to remain focused in a direction. I needed a "theme". It occured to me that Sunday dinners.. (and they may occur on Monday or Saturday by the way) provided the platform I was looking for.

So, I'm speaking to the vast emptiness right now. Here is my blog! Hopefully I will feed my soul and perhaps yours. Inspiring myself and possibly you to open our homes and our hearts and invite others to share in the incredible experience of breaking bread with you. I know of little else that provides nourishment of both the body and the mind than to share food (and wine) together.

To my dear friends who have shared my table, their table, our food, our hearts (and mostly THEIR wine): I thank you for the inspiration you continually provide to me. I cannot imagine my life without any of you! With that: I ask you to hold my spot at the stove and the table as I share with the world some of our stories.