Peter Hahn, Angels in the Cellar:
Before I settled on the vineyard, my life was intensely cerebral, sometimes physical, but tremendously lacking in the sensual. These days, however, I’ll find myself unconsciously bringing any number of things up to my tongue to taste or to my nose for a whiff. Walking through a forest, I’ll pull a few pine needles or leaves from a tree, roll them between my palms, and smell. I’ll pick up a handful of soil and do the same. At the farmer' market, as I go down the stalls selecting my fruit and vegetables, I’ll inevitably and discreetly lift one of each to my nose before filling my basket. Not only will doing this reveal something to me about the ripeness of the fruit or flavour of the vegetables but it also just makes the whole experience of food shopping richer. And while I have always enjoyed food as more than just fuel, it has now become a keen pleasure.
Before I settled on the vineyard, my life was intensely cerebral, sometimes physical, but tremendously lacking in the sensual. These days, however, I’ll find myself unconsciously bringing any number of things up to my tongue to taste or to my nose for a whiff. Walking through a forest, I’ll pull a few pine needles or leaves from a tree, roll them between my palms, and smell. I’ll pick up a handful of soil and do the same. At the farmer' market, as I go down the stalls selecting my fruit and vegetables, I’ll inevitably and discreetly lift one of each to my nose before filling my basket. Not only will doing this reveal something to me about the ripeness of the fruit or flavour of the vegetables but it also just makes the whole experience of food shopping richer. And while I have always enjoyed food as more than just fuel, it has now become a keen pleasure.
Consciously engaging my senses is something I need to be doing more.
