Food for thought

Food draws friends and family together, she says, "around one table, creating community over a shared loaf of bread."

May 25, 2017

"Food matters," says Emily Stimpson in her blog The Catholic Table, "because it nourishes our bodies and nourishes our souls."

Food draws friends and family together, she says, "around one table, creating community over a shared loaf of bread." Most of all, food matters because bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ, "offered for us on a table like no other."

"We need to think more deeply about food," says Stimpson, and its connection to "friendship, community and hospitality." Her blog and recipes are a way to "see food for what it is, and adjust our kitchens and habits accordingly."

Stimpson's Grilled Cheese in Four Ways:

-- 2 slices rye bread, 2 slices Gruyere, 1/2 of a caramelized sliced onion.

-- 2 slices sourdough bread, 1 slice horseradish cheddar, thick-sliced bacon, smoked and pickled jalapeno peppers, and roasted tomato aioli (1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup roasted tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, pinch of cayenne -- all pureed in a food processor).

-- 2 slices honey wheat bread, 2 slices brie cheese, 1 tablespoon fig preserves and 2 slices prosciutto.

-- 2 slices sourdough bread, 2 slices fresh mozzarella, thick sliced bacon, avocado, tomato and a sprinkle of kosher salt.

https://thecatholictable.com/2015/03/04/a-grilled-cheese-party/