My Funny Valentine

 

Millennials are notorious for taking pictures of food. It's laughable, and almost certainly a byproduct of the near-total technological addiction that has engulfed our adult lives. But it also conveys a sincere acknowledgement of culinary beauty and a pride in creativity. Or at least it can. I think we all agree that fine cuisine is about more than just calories. Certain food demands aesthetic appreciation. Sometimes we appreciate our food by sharing it with others, groaning with pleasure, and commending the chef on a job well done. Sometimes we simply pause to photograph it before we devour it. Millennials didn't invent the culinary arts or smart phones, but we are the original recipients of a consumer culture that has brought the two together as an integral feature of public life.  

Contrary to the beliefs of most elderly persons (i.e. Baby Boomers and above), these photos do not all end up on the internet, though some obviously do. Lord knows I am guilty of sharing many a food pic, but 95% of my culinary pictures never make it to social media. If you count those I text to friends and family that number probably drops to 80%... But the result is literally hundreds of images of meals cooked and consumed with pleasure just sitting on a hard drive gathering digital dust. As silly as this probably sounds, it's the way I want it. My food pics are their own form of journal--an archive unto themselves. I forget all sorts of things, but if I can go back in time and remember what we were eating, I might somehow manage to remember other important details. Maybe someday I'll make a coffee table book or something.

I only bring all this up because Allie and I must have taken a combined 35-40 pictures before we ate our first bite of dinner last night. But then again, if your Valentine's Day dinner turned out as beautifully as our and it was your last meal together for three and a half months you may have done something similar. Plus, my date was looking real good in her pink dress and new dandelion earrings, what can I say. The menu featured sustainably sourced wild coho salmon in garlic butter, roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine, and lemon ricotta over a parmesan risotto—all paired with an oaky California chardonnay. Every bit as delicious as it was photogenic. If I don't eat salmon again for nine months, memories of last night will sustain me. 

Bring on the curries and street food.