con·viv·ial

adjective \kən-ˈviv-yəl, -ˈvi-vē-əl\: relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company.

After several years in food service operations this word remains a personal favorite and is at the heart of my guiding principles. We are social creatures since inception, and at no time is the herd happier than when we are grazing togther. Whether we engage in fine dining, a meal on the run or at our prefered watering hole, we fulfill two basic needs when we dine together; the most essential need for sustenance and the nuturing need to belong.

Over time these needs have grown to include a desire to be entertained and in some instances educated by regarding the components, values and origins of that which we consume. Whatever our motivations might be, we have come to expect creative and reasonably nutritious fare that will satisfy our core needs and wants. In order to achieve this goal on a sustainable basis, we require another level of connection, a constant tie-in to an evolving reserve of information. Shared recipes along with links to foodie sites, festivals and fare from our collective memories are all great resources for building the repetoire needed to maintain our creative focus.

So each month we will add new ideas and thoughts to this board and we ask you to do the same. In the spirit of the intent, we ask for constructive and food specific topics that you feel would relate to a larger audience and assist with the task at hand.

burgess