|
|
|
|
|
 |
As a species there's little that we do today that resembles the lives of our ancestors, and yet the process of making and sharing food remains one of our oldest and most revered forms of creating community. Across time, geography, culture and religion food has represented more than just physical sustenance to us. It has served as the universal expression of welcome, praise, thanks, celebration, friendship, harvest, healing and community.
Today, like thousands of years ago, our marriages, holidays and days of religious importance are celebrated with food. And coming together at the end of the day to share a meal as a related group (family, friends, co-workers) has been key to our ability to develop and nurture close relationships. Eating is not a solitary function for us. It's ideally a social event around which our lives revolve and evolve.
Unfortunately, due to today's fast pace and high degree of consumerism, many people are now much better at buying food than making it. As always there are trade offs, with fundamental, and in the case of food, life-and-death consequences.
In most parts of the world, especially those we arrogantly label "under-developed" or "developing" there still exists a deep-rooted food culture and heritage. You may say that for us in the "developed" world there is too. However there is a subtle difference. We may come together around food, but we've stopped making the food ourselves. Three generations in to the "processed food era" we have millions of people who simply don't know how to pull raw ingredients together to make even a simple meal. An alarming number of people have no idea where many ingredients come from or when they are in season.
"So what?" you may ask.
Well, we believe there are two main reasons why it's important. First, from a qualitative standpoint, we are killing ourselves with the amount of processed food we buy and eat. I'm not just talking about fast food, but about the processed meal "components" we bring home. The chicken fingers, the flavoured rices, the pre-made entrees, pasta sauces, soups. The further away from the raw ingredients you are, the more artificial additives, sodium, sugar and fat you are consuming, and the less nutritional value you are deriving out of that food. As a result we are a society dying of obesity-related diseases - diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer to name a few.
The other thing we seem to have lost as a society – something we are especially passionate about at Twisted Pit – is personal expression and creativity. When you buy pre-made food components you are robbing yourself of one of your greatest and most readily available opportunities to express yourself, to unleash your creativity. Forget the recipes! Do you think grandma ever said, "Oh, I couldn't make it without the recipe!" And ignore anyone who tries to convince you that you can't make food taste as good as large food companies. Like anything else, with a little guidance and practice, pulling together simple (and unbelievably tasty) dishes is a snap. What it does for you is magical. We live, first-hand, the joy of putting a meal on the table for our families and friends, knowing that we created something out of a bunch of ingredients in the fridge. It's truly empowering.
So welcome to the new food revolution. At Twisted Pit, we're on a mission to help get people back in the kitchen and claim their creative space. Start off with baked bread and olive oil (come on...it doesn't get simpler!), try a mushroom rice, some grilled veggies. Before you know it you'll be pulling together unique meals like an artist produces a painting from a pallet of paints! Food IS art, and like that artist, the more you use raw fruits, veggies, meats and grains, the more selective you will become in the quality and substance of your ingredients. You'll migrate towards local produce and ethically raised, hormone-free meat not because of some noble cause, or because people are telling you to get healthy, but because it tastes better and gives you more satisfaction when you've taken the responsibility for the quality of the food you feed your friends and family.
This is the Twisted Pit experience. This is what we call "getting twisted in the kitchen," and it is the reason why Tim and I started this company. Join us in reclaiming our creativity and our cooking heritage, and in doing so build stronger families, friendships, and communities.
Now, what's for dinner?!
Chris Kamarianakis
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
|
|
|
Did you know?
While Spain is the world's top producer of all grades of olive oil, Greece is the largest producer of Extra Virgin Olive Oil ahead of both Spain and Italy.
In the Picture
Tim (plaid) and Chris in their beloved olive grove, the Solinaria, where 35 years ago they planted 1000 Patrinia varietal saplings with their parents. Today this grove produces Artemis Organic Olive oil, one of the most sought after olive oils in the world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
