In the mid 1970's when I was almost two I moved to St. Catherines Island with my father and very brave mother. This is not an island resort but also not like Gillian's island either. We lived in a house with electricity, indoor plumbing, a TV with rabbit ears made of foil and access to four channels but no phones. The only way to reach this place is by boat. When I was a child island staff and their families could leave the island only once a month for the day round trip on personal business such as grocery shopping. So we ate a lot of fish (which I LOVE) and powered milk (which I have never learned to enjoy). I found island life wonderous as only a child can and my brother, sister and I were only tempted to leave on this day of stocking up and errand running by the promise of seeing the current playing Disney movie. On island endangered exotics were being reared, native ecosystems rebuilt, and every "ology" from archaeology to zoology was in practice. Before I reached school age a archaeological site of great importance was found and uncovered carefully for years. What this meant to me was that for a few months out of the year we had "neighbors". Beyond island exploration the chief entertainment was and still is... eating. These visitors brought exotic foods with them like bagels, olives, humus, even cranberry sauce in a can to name only a few. And of course we had oysters, fish, crabs, and pig on hand so to speak. Because of this the archs began to jokingly call the island "Saint Calories". Anyway that's how I thought of the title of this blog. I so enjoyed a good meal with family and friends especially after a day spent out in nature. I still do. I am also learning that the choices we all make at the table can change the world. So I started sharing my thoughts here... in the spirit of making meals matter.
