There are times that the healing power of food is undeniable. Sometimes it is when a bowl of homemade Chicken Soup helps get rid of a debilitating cold. Sometimes it is more. Sometimes food and the act of taking to the kitchen soothes and cures on several levels at once.
Such was the case for journalist Paula Butturini, as she went through years of trying to emerge from the aftermath of her husband's severe gun shot wound and the debilitating chronic depression that followed. Finding comfort in the daily Italian rituals of cookery, Paula helped them both regain a foothold in life to ultimately reclaim the joy that once defined their relationship. Her memoir "Keeping the Feast: One Couple's Story of Love, Food, and Healing in Italy" is inspiring. In fact, it inspired me to pluck open another book - Marcella Hazan's "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking."
Listening to Marcella's words of wisdom, I found deep satisfaction in a simple Tomato and Basil Salad. I found pleasure in stirring a creamy Asparagus Risotto, tossing in a pat of creamery butter and sprinkling grated Parmesan atop. And, I discovered contentment and grace in a bowl of farmer's market-fresh strawberries, bright red and juicy, topped with a fluffy mound of Sheep's Milk Ricotta and drizzled with golden honey.
My dining table has never been so restorative.
Comments