A Fresh Perspective

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
– James Beard

It is always a treat when I’m able to witness the world I know from a new viewpoint.  Such experiences enable me to realize things I might have missed the first time around, and awaken a new excitement that stirs my creativity.

In welcoming Jason Dixon, a new contributor, to the Gastronomic Meditations™ masthead, I could feel the anticipation of seeing the world of cuisine through his eyes.  As a sensualist and philosopher, I knew he would bring a new dialect to our discussion — one that would require us to revisit our own methods and understanding. In order to share the experience fully with him, we would have to pull him into the trenches alongside us, so he could witness, and then experience, the sensory overload of our food mania. (He did have a little bit of practice on a recent trip to the grocery store.)

There is a powerful emotional connection that comes from sharing with another the core of one’s passion:  Here is someone fascinated with the same things you are, but from the beginning of the path you have traveled for decades; here is someone whose delight in creating a picture-perfect dish sends a ripple of joy right through your soul.  It is that inner echo of “Yes, I’ve been there — I know what you are feeling in this moment!”

As we tested this month’s recipes, I had to pause and explain the little details I take for granted, such as the importance of caramelization, and how it heightens the flavor of a dish, or the subtle ways in which herbs and spices can be infused into gorgeous combinations of aromas.  Since Jason is so inquisitive, I must always be ready with an answer, or have the tools on hand to find an explanation for him.  He must know why.  As a self-taught cook, there are things I know almost intuitively at this point, and the reasons have been long forgotten.  Suffice it to say he is keeping me on my toes.

It is Jason’s fervor and dedication that will undoubtedly bring our work at Gastronomic Meditations™ to a new level.  We are now opening our doors not only to cooks who have been doing this for years, but to others who might share a deep curiosity of food, but don’t know where to begin.  They now have a voice in Jason.  He will question our methods, our combinations, and our mental mouth evaluations, all from a fresh perspective that takes nothing for granted.  His style and sass will certainly make the process an engaging endeavor, as his creativity is inspiring.  (Case in point: last month’s Lemongrass Cilantro Sorbet makes a delightful cocktail when combined with a few shots of vodka.)  He also has the kind of laugh that contains just enough deviousness to keep things interesting.

We have created this new section, a “Gastronomic Journey,” to offer a kind of open discussion between Jason and me: two gourmands who experience cuisine from very different points of view.  While my perspective will be from someone who has spent many a year in the trenches, searching for answers, Jason’s will be that of a fresh-faced novice, reflecting on his own path of inquiry.  We are excited to be able to offer both ends of the gastronomic spectrum.

Jason’s monthly column will begin with next week’s issue, and I hope it will invite a whole new world of readers to experience and share in the passion we feel for our craft.  Food offers a universal language with which people can connect on an intellectual, soulful, and visceral level, and when approached from all these perspectives simultaneously, there is no telling the kinds of words we will offer in the months to come.

I hope you will join us in welcoming Jason aboard this sailing ship as we take a journey of the senses toward Destination: Satiation.