As the title character sang in the musical, “Oliver,” “Oh, food… Wonderful food! Marvelous food! Glorious food!” I don’t know about you, but I’ve been enjoying food my whole life! Yes, food provides the sustenance we need, but it is so much more than that.
A self-proclaimed foodie, I love bringing people together for meals. I love experiencing new restaurants with others. I love creating dishes at home with my husband and son.
This month, I’m focused on digging into the Danish concept of “hygge” (pronounced “hoo-ga”) loosely translated as a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. One of the primary tenets of a hygge lifestyle is gaining pleasure from food. Specifically, the Danes focus their pleasure receptors on things like coffee, chocolate, cookies, cakes, and candy. Makes sense… when we order pastries at the bake shop it is often “Danish” we are requesting!
Food really does create a sense of togetherness. It brings people together and fosters relationships. For example, when we have people to our homes or offices for get togethers of any kind, we often offer warm drinks and sweets to make people feel welcomed, comfortable and special. It’s a friendly gesture that creates a sense of community. In fact, as a dear friend often says, “it’s hard to dislike someone while you’re breaking bread together.”
So, be prepared… have a selection of coffee, tea, and hot cocoa available. If you’re very industrious, perhaps you’ll bake a batch of your famous chocolate chip cookies or apple cake. Have something on hand for when company drops by. If you’re out and about, have a list of preferred cafes and coffee shops at the ready where you can enjoy a little hygge lifestyle with others.
Happy Networking!