What does it mean to take pleasure from food? Among the obvious, it has everything to do with taste, smell, the texture, and sensations found within the experience due to the setting, music, lighting and so forth. All chefs know, great food can have a transformational impact. It can bring back fond memories, or create them. As has been said, beer tastes best when shared with people you love and respect, as can be said for food. The pleasure of dining in a tropical atmosphere is one unmatched. After a day of adventure sitting down to an exquisite meal, your senses are unleashed. Your pallet seems to savour every bite, as you take it all in, nourishing your body, calming the mind, the setting, the background noises, your company, they all work together to form your dining experience. While food clearly is essential to survival, it is the pleasure involved that makes eating worthwhile. It is a pleasure for the senses, an indulgence for thy self.
But there’s more.
Preparing food, this is an act of creation. We are the creators of what finds itself on our plates. With every dinner, we plan, select, and then perform. Our creations of love and labor are shared and enjoyed. This kind of pleasure reaches beyond the individual. This is a collective act, and so it cannot be experienced alone, one who loves food, also loves to share!
Even further, science has now backed those who have a deep love for enjoying their meal and given them praise. Approaching meals mindfully can enhance your digestion, satisfaction (so you eat less) and metabolism. Nutritional psychologist Marc David, founder of The Institute for the Psychology of Eating and the author of The Slow Down Diet: Eating for Pleasure, Energy and Weight Loss (Healing Arts Press, 2005), states we don’t have enough “vitamin P”, that is pleasure in our diets. And he’s not just referring to recreational enjoyment. The level of enjoyment we experience in eating our food has very real biochemical consequences that directly affect our metabolism and digestion. “Half of nutrition is what you eat,” he explains, “but the other half is how you eat.” Eat slow, enjoy your meal, saver every bite!
Highlighting the culinary excellence found along the Pacific coast, every town, no matter how small has a foodie’s gem to be found. Indeed, Costa Rica is the perfect culinary destination. From high end cuisine, to local fresh baked, homemade goods; all is served with one thing in mind, the love and enjoyment of food!
Eat well. Sabor life. Pass it on.
