If you have watched any of the numerous competitive television cooking shows that are broadcast today, you have witnessed countless times the contestants being scolded by the judges for not tasting the food that they prepared and presented. After the judge tastes the food, the exchange usually goes like this:
Judge: “Did you taste this before you served it?”
Contestant: “No, I didn’t but I thought it was fine” or
Contestant: “Yes I did and I thought it was well seasoned.”
Response to both answers:
Judge: “Well it is lacking seasoning! This is basic cooking, taste and season, salt and pepper!”
Proper seasoning brings food to life. Unseasoned food is bland, lifeless and lacks personality. The definition of the most commonly used spices, salt and pepper are: “Salt an element that gives liveliness, piquancy or pungency.” “Pepper a hot, sharp condiment prepared from the dried berries of a tropical vine.” By definition, seasoning enhances the food and brings the flavors to life.
Much like food our lives need to be seasoned and sprinkled with moments that remind us that we are alive. A few years ago I was running some errands during my lunch hour. It was an October afternoon. In the Hudson Valley of New York, fall is a beautiful time of year. The mountains are ablaze in color and the intensity of the sun accentuates the beauty of the leaves. However, on that particular fall day while driving back to the office I realized that I had not really noticed or appreciated the colors at all this season. My life was in a very “bland tasting” phase. The vibrancy was gone. I was purely going through the motions of what I had to do and not enjoying any of it along the way. That was an aha moment. I decided I didn’t want to live this way anymore. My life needed some seasoning!
What is a seasoned moment? It is one in which your senses are heightened, and your emotions are enhanced. The salt accentuates the flavor; well actually it brings it to life and makes it pop! Our taste buds dance in delight. The salt seasoned moments may be moments of joy, happiness, pride, elation, accomplishment or peace. The pepper adds spark, a fire so to speak. Fire parallels desire. They are always mentioned as a pair, but they have no problem standing on their own. The pepper packs heat and sometimes displeasure. The pepper seasoned moments can contain determination, despair, fear, loss, failure or sorrow.
How many times in your life have you heard, “please pass the salt and pepper.”? Probably too many to count, so I am passing my shakers and sharing some of my salt and pepper moments, maybe they will remind you of some of yours.
Seasoned with Salt Moments
v The birth of my children
v A day on the beach feeling the sand between my toes and the salty breeze against my skin
v My son and Dad placing third in the Cub Scout Pine Wood Derby
v Watching my daughter graduate from High School, even when the heavens suddenly open soaked us in the process!
v Enjoying a summer morning cup of coffee as the sun rises
v Listening to “Swaying to the Music” by Johnny Rivers and remembering a vacation many years ago with my sister
v Sitting by a roaring fire with a glass of wine and just being
v Childhood family vacations to New Hampshire and Fire Island
v Watching my Mom with her grandchildren
v Driving my first new car, a 1986 maroon and grey Pontiac Grand Am
v College days with my dear friend and roommate
v Thanksgivings spent on the farm and Christmas at my Grandmothers
v My recent trip to Sedona Arizona and hiking the red rocks
Seasoned with Pepper Moments
v My sister moving many states away
v Moving back to New York after college and leaving my friends in Florida
v The loss of loved ones, especially my Grandparents and Mother-in-law
v The dissolution of a friendship
v Public speaking and presentations to the Board of Directors
v Closing the door to my daughters dorm room on freshman orientation day and knowing that life as I have known it had forever changed
v Watching loved ones battle illnesses
v Witnessing my daughter display determination, leadership and heart during her Senior year of high school while playing on a very poor basketball team…she never gave up or in
v Saying goodbye to my younger sister as she boarded an airplane to spend her senior year of high school in Brazil
v September 11, 2001
v Letting go of my fear and…….stepping off an airplane in flight...and flying myself.....skydiving!
Seasoning is not only a basic principle of cooking it is one of life too. The seasonings we encounter in our lives make us feel something, be it good, bad, happy or sad. Many would choose a bland life over a life that contains the extremely strong and hurtful pepper moments. I really do understand this, but the pepper moments as difficult and burning as they can be provide can us with something; many times through the heartache there emerges a new desire of a life purpose.
Each day remember to check the seasoning. Continue to pass the salt and pepper and season your own life and the lives of those around you. A life well-seasoned is a life well lived.
