Culinary Magic. Yes, it’s the food. It’s even better when it’s about our families and friends
What’s on your agenda today? Please stay safe and maintain appropriate social distance.
We walk in our neighborhood most days to get some exercise and be outside for a bit. There are some TV shows plus streaming movies and specials. Today my wife is one of a number of volunteers in our area sewing masks which were requested by the Georgetown (TX) Fire Department.
Yesterday, our day was brightened just a bit when a friend texted us about a food show on the local, Austin, PBS station – KLRU-TV. Allow me to share this with you. Maybe it will put a smile on your face – as it did for us.
The text alerted us to an episode of I’ll Have What Phil’s Having. Maybe you’re not familiar with the show or Phil. The KRLU website invites viewers to “Embark on an international culinary expedition with Phil Rosenthal, creator of the TV hit Everybody Loves Raymond, and one of Hollywood’s funniest producers. Join Phil as he explores six culinary capitals of the world in search for the best of a city’s specialty, or one of its most unusual dishes.”
We were alerted about Episode 5 from Season 1– featuring the city of Barcelona. It first aired on October 26, 2015. Our friend knew that we loved Barcelona and the incredible food culture it offers.
One segment of Phil’s adventure in Barcelona took him to the restaurant Tickets where he met Albert Adria, the internationally renowned chef. My blog posting at Vending Market Watch, from November 28, 2016, highlighted our evening and meal at Tickets. You can, if you wish, read the posting: Sell More Stuff: Culinary Magic. That evening stands almost alone in our memories as one of the top three dining experiences we have ever enjoyed.
The Barcelona episode of I’ll Have What Phil’s Having served as a powerful reminder. Sharing the experience of good food in the company of family and friends is what reinforces cherished memories from life’s wonderful moments.
Don’t think that dining away from home is a requirement to have great memories of meals and the foods we enjoy. Some of our all-time favorites were at our home or our parents’ homes. It might have been Thanksgiving meals or other special holidays. We had all four of our parents, our children and quite often a wide assortment of aunts, uncles, cousins and lots of cherished family friends.
Culinary Magic. It is something that great chefs like Albert Adria can deliver. Those experiences can create wonderful memories. But the real Culinary Magic is much deeper and far more personal – especially in these challenging times.
Maybe we cannot dine and visit in person with family and friends we care about and love. There is technology to make those connections. Are you familiar with Zoom meetings, Google Hangouts or Facetime?
Try one of those apps, or others, to reach out – perhaps it is for dinner or cocktails. How about sharing breakfast? Everyone “brings” their own food and beverages. Then sit down to talk and stay connected. It’s all done with appropriate social distancing.
Okay – it’s not quite as much fun if everyone is at separate and distant tables. But at least we can join family and friends for some quality time together.
This posting it is not about selling more stuff. We will, hopefully, get back to that task on another day.
For now, please stay safe and stay connected. Go out and make some Culinary Magic – the people-to-people contacts and the memories that make life special.
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Paul Schlossberg operates D/FW Consulting, specializing in branded product and market development projects for vending, foodservice, coffee service, convenience stores and other market segments with strong impulse purchase potential. Based in the Austin, TX area, he can be reached at [email protected] or 972-877-2972 or www.DFWConsulting.net.
Links:
https://www.pbs.org/show/ill-have-what-phil-having/
https://www.pbs.org/video/ill-have-what-phil-having-episode-5-barcelona/
https://elbarri.com/en/restaurant/tickets/
https://www.vendingmarketwatch.com/products/food/news/12282783/sell-more-stuff-culinary-magic