ANNABEL LANGBEIN

The long weekend makes a perfect time to share food in a relaxed meal with loved ones around the table

Linger longer

Recently, as part of the Writers and Readers Programme at the New Zealand Festival in Wellington, I was lucky enough to sit on a panel debating the idea of “Good Eating” with US food writer and author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat, and Wellington food writer Martin Bosley, also known for his work tutoring long-term prisoners in the kitchen of Rimutaka Prison. Moderated by New Zealand writer, yoga teacher and human rights advocate Marianne Elliott, we discussed what good cooking actually means and how to make better decisions in the kitchen.

The food trends for 2018 provide interesting, sometimes challenging ideas. Above all, the rise of self prevails. Just today I have been asked to come up with a menu for someone who is glutenfree, paleo and vegan. I think the combo is called pegan (acombination of vegan and and paleo, which are actually opposites — go figure).

As Elliott said during our panel discussion: “Never has there been so much attention to the politics of what we put on our plates.” And, as far as I can see, never more confusion about what might be “good” or “bad”.

Among the 2018 trends of increased vegan and plant-based eating, more street food, more gut-friendly food, more foraged and hyper-local food (ingredients sourced within walking distance), is the introduction of 3D-printed food.

When I was working in China at the end of last year, the talk among the architects in Shanghai was around the idea that 3D food printers will one day be installed in place of kitchens. One of the first prototypes of this 3D food can be experienced at the FoodInk pop-up in London, where the furniture, utensils and food are all 3D-printed.

Just thinking about this makes me feel anxious. Where in this prospect is the connection to nature that will make us all care more about the natural world that sustains and feeds us?

Beyond this, one of the defining aspects of what makes us human is our socialibity as a species. For millennia, we have come together around the table to share food. Feeling relaxed and comfortable in someone’s home and enjoying food they have prepared (no matter how simple) is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Sharing our table returns us to a tradition that has nourished humankind for centuries, and through which grow ideas and the bonds of friendship and family.

Our panel all agreed that sharing the table and developing a sense of community around food will make us stronger and healthier to face the challenges climate change will bring.

This week’s recipes are all heart-warming shared dishes that are perfect for enjoying around the table with family and friends this long weekend.