Four Must-Haves for a Meaningful Food Experience by Brittany Pruess The table is set and the flowers are placed;
with one of your favorite people by your side.
everything has been perfectly planned,
Hand-select what appeals to you, and then
curated, and prepared for the guests. People
let your senses take over and inspire the dish
arrive, they dine, they leave; and you are left
you will prepare. You should embrace the
to reflect on the moments captured. Reality
process slowly and intentionally. Europeans
hits, you spent the last month planning for
understand this concept better than anyone.
this event, slaved away over the meal, and
They will often start with their favorite artisan
kept everyone full and satisfied throughout
bread, local wine, or seasonal produce to
the dining experience; so why do you feel so
center a meal around. The food is seen not
depleted and empty?
only as a way of nourishing the body, but also
When defining the details of a meal consumes the experience and leave you starving for substance; you are left with an aesthetically pleasing event, but very little else. This summer I encourage you to set the stage for a memorable dining experience full of connection and seasonal spontaneity.
2 Include Your Guests in the Preparation of the Meal
Many hosts want their guests to relax and simply enjoy the meal prepared for them. However, when you allow guests to come together and get involved in the meal prep,
experience:
you open the door to deeper connection,
One fantastic way to switch up the dining experience this summer is to head to the local farmer’s market BEFORE you begin planning the meal. This may seem a bit foreign if you are used to planning a meal weeks, or even months, in advance; but I promise you creating a meal this way adds an extra element of enjoyment to your preparation.
Lifestyle
table.
Here are the key ingredients to create such an
1 Planning the Meal
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as a luxurious treat to be enjoyed around the
conversation, and a sense of lightness to be shared. For your next dining experience, consider asking a few of your closest friends and family over to help prepare the meal. Have someone open the bottle of wine, another select the music, one can slice and dice, and share in the experience of getting creative in the kitchen together. The preparation of food is paralleled to the preparation of meaningful
Consider waking up with the sun, preparing
conversation; both require nurturing,
your morning beverage, and slowly making
observation, and sensing what needs to be
your way toward your local farmer’s market
added.
