Two Peas in a Blog

Unlike most twenty-somethings at the pub, my best friend and I only liven up once we get the menus out, and conversation turns to food. We begin quizzing each other on what we would order, (if we hadn't just had dinner), or we try to guess each others preferences (Thai Noodles? Or the Steak and Ale pie), usually over a packet of crisps. This performance perks us up so much that we foolishly decide to “make a proper evening of it” and go on to some awful club after the pub closes. This is always regretted in the morning, when we are kept away from our beloved food by churning stomachs. Despite this we'll still be discussing food as soon as we see each other again.

However, when it comes to discussing food, I'm certainly not loyal to my best friend (Sorry Hayley), or to my boyfriend (Sorry Greg; I'm a food polygamist). Be it my best friend, my boyfriend, or many other important people in my life, food features heavily in my relationships. When I think back over my relationship with Greg, for me, it is memories of food that map out our four years together. Unsurprisingly, I am keen to argue (particularly in order to present myself as less of a pig) that this is the case with many people's relationships.

On some level, most relationships do involve, and possibly revolve around, food. Both in reality, and in fiction, food forges and cements relationships. Think of the typical 'going out for dinner' as a first date, or even the standard American “do you wanna grab a coffee” (and all the subtext that involves) so common in films. So what is it about food that makes it so integral to our relationships?

By examining food, and the part it plays in bringing people together in literature, and also in my own foodie relationships, I would like to explore this evident link between these two vital organs - Our Hearts and Our Stomachs.