This weekend we visited the local farmer’s market, which is always interesting. This time around there was a booth full of textile crafts, handmade dolls and all sorts of beautiful things. The sights, sounds, smells, if you don’t get inspired at a local market, your creativity needs life-support. We talked to a local cheesemaker and got a “tour” of the products; I was really intrigued by one cheese that is flavored with truffles but tastes like a hint of garlic. Right next to the cheese was the chocolat (where I averted my eyes), and the baked goods, where we found an incredible loaf of dark rye that would make your eyes roll up in your head if you love the traditional Russian peasant loaf style of bread.
After we got home I had to figure out what to do with the fresh rhubarb so I made a batch of rhubarb bread.
While we were out, I noticed a sign that said, “Love people. Feed them.” In a fast food world, maybe we forget to sometimes slow down, think about how cheese is made, imagine ways to use fresh rhubarb before choosing one. Slowing down a little lets us feed all our senses and our creativity.
I think we need to feed our souls and those of the people we love at every opportunity, not just with food but with experiences. Writing a book can be soul food, and it pays to not try to whip out a white-bread package that could have been produced anywhere, but to let all the local sights, sounds, textures and flavors in to make it a rich and unique whole that reflects who and where it came from. When we write, we’re feeding imaginations. And it starts with feeding our own.
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