Food is the elixir of life: the better the quality, the better the joy and satiation. This enjoyment of the table has a long pedigree. Our Roman ancestors were renowned for their culinary expertise. Marcus Apicius (1) was a well-known gourmand of the 1st century AD who revolutionized the art of gastronomy due to his inventiveness and creativity. According to the philosopher and statesman Seneca (4 BC-65 AD), this chef was so dedicated to his creations that, when he realized his fortune had been voided by his devotion to his cuisine, he committed suicide rather than live in poverty: certainly a touch extreme.
This deep desire for nourishment has, however, begun to deliver bittersweet fruit. The levels of obesity amongst first-world people are virtually out of control. It is well documented that over 35% of Western adults have serious weight problems. (2) It would appear that our peripatetic nature, induced by our modern lifestyle, has certainly encouraged this problem. How many families have time to follow the concept of “slow food” (3) and leisurely go to the fresh-food market on the way home and then fastidiously prepare a delicious and nutritious meal for their family? But all is not lost. More and more people are taking their health seriously and are adopting the concept that “aging is not a disease.” We can live a healthy and positive life at any age if we so desire. This ideology of sustenance for the soul and for the body is seen in the changes in personal priorities in our capitalistic system. Where will we go from here?
Will our palate also have to change? Yes, of course: our perspective on food must be altered. Our diet is conditioned by tradition and culture. Emperor Hadrian (76 AD-138 AD) enjoyed a meat pie that was made of pheasant, peacock, sow’s udder and wild-boar meat. I doubt if the modern person would delve into this “treat” if he knew the ingredients. My personal experience with a challenge to my perceived culinary norms occurred when I was an indigent student in Paris. My clique included several young women that came from affluent German families. I was strictly on a budget of 10 francs a day, at the time around (NT) $90. This one particular evening, it was decided that we eat in a quiet corner of the Latin Quarter. We sat down and I was presented with the menu. Horror: the average “repas” exceeded my financial limit. Suddenly to my relief, I spied an entree at only 8 francs: steak tartare. (4) It arrived and, to my astonishment, it was nothing but raw meat with a raw egg in the middle overlaid with a sprinkling of onions. Feeling like a truly unsophisticated rube, I began to gingerly nibble at the edges of this mishmash with my knife and fork. One of my feminine compatriots noticed my ignorance and took the plate away from me.
“Thank God,” I thought to myself, “someone is going to cook it.” Sadly, my reflections were to no avail, the substance was mixed together and returned to me in its original pure state. I continued to appear to be enjoying my food.
“Do you like horse?” the young lady inquired. Ever the teacher, “Horses,” I corrected her, “My uncle has many horses!” “No,” was her riposte, “Horse like you are eating.” The portion stopped somewhere between my throat and my stomach. Somehow I just couldn’t eat Black Beauty. (5) It was a memorable moment in my maturity; I resolved in the future to always understand and reflect on what I was doing and what I was eating. There is the underlying realization that future employment, the very concept of work as a tool to consume and acquire things, is being altered before our eyes. As we have seen in Greece, perhaps many young people will eventually return to the land to find work and to find peace. (6) There, they will grow their own food and live a different quality of life. The great statesman and philosopher, Cato the Elder (7) leaves with a thought: It is thus with farming, if you do one thing late, you will be late in all your work. (Parts of this essay were first published in March 2013)
A closing thought: It is interesting how models of living some 2,000 years ago still have relevance today. Cato the Elder was noted for his desire for a simple life in service to the state and in service to his family and servants – in short, the Common Good. He sought to avoid materialism and return to a life based on frugality and hard work. This is perhaps the clarion call of the post- Millennials, you never know.
To sum up: This week we spoke about enjoying good food and living a good life.
To be noted: If life is so hard how come so many idiots are doing it?
Just for fun: ‘Some Enchanted Evening’
For reflection: Norman Foster Interview: Striving for Simplicity
This week on your thoughtful walk, please ask yourself what your diet consists of?
Every day look for something magical and beautiful
Quote: Intellectual preparedness and openness to change will be our biggest ally in the ever approaching environmental and economic changes.
Footnotes:
1) Marcus Gavius Apicius was a Roman gourmet and lover of luxury, who lived in the 1st century AD, during the reign of Emperor Tiberius (42 BC –37 AD)
3) Slow Food
4) Steak tartare is a raw meat dish made with minced beef or horse meat, a raw egg, capers and onions.
5) Black Beauty is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell that teaches animal welfare; it also encourages people to treat each other with kindness, sympathy, and respect.