Epicurean Odyssey - the simple feast

A little fish, some loaves of bread, fruit of the vine, candlelight and conversation. The simple life.

Tonight as I sauté eggplant, onions, garlic and sun dried tomatoes and sip my glass of Stump Jump red wine, I wonder. What is it that makes sitting at one’s own table, with friends, such a sacred experience? It must relate somehow to simplicity.

It doesn’t have to be fancy, take a lot of planning and hours of work. For instance, on a week night it is great to sit down to a simple meal with good friends, enter into excellent conversation and end the day feeling so refreshed and content and marvelously alive. Living in a small community where 10-15 minutes of travel time brings friends to your door is an advantage that is not taken for granted. City life seems long ago, although 4 years is a small space of time in the grand scheme of ones life. Small community living, away from traffic, hustle and bustle and a ferry being the only way to arrive, limits those who are willing to make the trek and insulates those who wish to remain more reclusive.

A friend came into town and so a gathering of German, Swiss, Canadian – westerners and easterners, were seated round my antique oak dining room table. A quick stop at the grocery store the night before had some snapper, basa, new potatoes, asparagus, arugola, grape tomatoes and Zinfandel waiting in the fridge. One guest brought home made Pinot Grigio wine and a lovely fresh baguette, another brought Italian red wine and the last brought some Swiss chocolate pudding from her homeland.

It is a dance, always a dance, to work alone in the kitchen. Creating, taking the fresh produce and ingredients in my hands letting their raw texture tell me a story. Soon the final product will be displayed on the table. The table was set with colourful placemats, brass punch cups hold tea lights and are scattered around the center placemat. Wine glasses that were wedding presents of my Grandmothers’ are delicate and elegant while the silver cutlery has been collected over many years. White plates are Portuguese and are the canvas upon which the epicurean art will be placed – although not for long!

My mind wonders back to Castellammare di Stabia, the ship building town south of Naples where life is raw and colourful. Nothing in North America can duplicate the narrow streets, motorcycles whizzing by, laundry waving from the balcony above you, voices echoing between the cement apartment buildings and the fragrance of fresh fish and fresh bread mingling together. Rather like the bitter and sweet – one is repelling, the other inviting and both will always be in the fragrance of life. My year of life there is deeply etched within, always coming to mind.

Back to the kitchen in the small community, soft music plays, Sebastian the cat lounges by the window wondering what will come next and the little galley kitchen is full of activity. I sauté the shallots in a touch of olive oil, and then place the basa and snapper fillets into the pan. Home brewed Zinfandel is poured over them, grape tomato halves and sun dried black olives, a touch of salt and white pepper and it is ready to go into the oven. The small scrubbed new potatoes are steaming and the asparagus is ready to be sautéed quickly in olive oil and garlic.

I remember Signora Giulia’s kitchen where she was queen and I a bystander only participating in the eating and the washing of the dishes. She may never know how much I learned as I brought home the fresh produce and she began the process of preparing the meal of the day. Castellammare di Stabia seems so far away.

Simplicity - all in one. The large oval Italian platter is warmed and ready to receive the fish, the potatoes and asparagus. Fresh lemon and olive oil is drizzled over the vegetables and some capers are tossed over the fish. The steaming platter is placed in the center of the table, the bread is sliced, the arugola and tomato insalata is ready, wine glasses are topped up and we sit down together. Conversation is not broken between the easy chairs of the living room and the antique oak chairs round the table. After the first course has been consumed Swiss chocolate pudding is served in deep purple glass dishes that were also my Grandmother’s wedding presents. Some St.Agur and Brie cheese along with crackers is enjoyed along with coffee or herbal tea. Earthy – it is all so earthy and simple.

It is so rich yet it costs so little monetarily. It is so simple – yet holds such depth. It is the point at which I realize relationships and food will always be intertwined. Slow food and relationships are a gift I learned to treasure in my year in Sud Italia. It is impossible not to bring Italia to my table now because the lessons there are woven into the fabric of my thinking and breathing. I am in an attitude of gratitude for this sacred love of the epicurean odyssey.