First Post

It's surprising how immediately this class has affected the way I look at food. It's necessary to eat, yet many in our culture have transformed the act into something purely social. For example, the other night I found myself eating alone at the Lander café. A friend of mine, seeing me sitting by myself, invited me to sit with a group of her friends. Eating is such an important social function that seeing one eating alone evokes a sense of pity. We believe one should eat in the company of others.

I’ve eaten a wide array of foods since I’ve arrived in Seattle. I’m excited by the variety provided by the city’s diversity. Thai food (twice already!), spaghetti, scallops and prawns, etc. I look forward to experimenting with foods with which I’m not entirely familiar. I’ve met some friends who seem willing to challenge their palates along with me.

(above) A typical shared meal among my Western counterparts during our five-spice-immersed voyage to China