Food fun

Is anyone else as excited as I am about holiday feasts? And not just the eating of them (in fact, I always find that part rather anti-climactic), but the planning and preparing of the meals? I've spent the last hour or so flipping through a free food magazine that came in the mail today, bursting with beautiful (and simple) dish ideas and decadent, mouth-watering photos. Although this year I won't be too ambitious with any plans, I've been savouring each page, "tasting" the recipes as I read them, making some mental notes and alterations, and just generally getting excited for this artform. Even most weekdays I opt for dishes that are a little bit of a step up than usual family weekday fare. Because I enjoy the process, it never feels like work to me. Perhaps the magic of cooking will fade as I rack up meal after meal over the years for four men who can devour a meal before I make it to the table. But I'm hoping to foster that same love of food in my family, helping them to appreciate meal time as an opportunity to connect as a family, engage in good conversation, and feed the soul while we feed our bodies.