This first post is the beginning of a project born of a song and a block of cheese.  While driving south toward Ashland, Oregon I saw a sign for the Rogue Creamery, which struck me as being funny.  The day prior to my trip south, my wife and kids attended a gift fair centered on sustainable goods and local foods.  They came home bearing rave reviews of the entire market, especially noting the excellent and cheery service given them by a representative of the Rogue Creamery.  In fact, because of the hospitality shown to them, my family purchased a small block of garlic cheddar.  While I wasn’t able to find the creamery in Central Point, Oregon and didn’t have time to search deeply, I still came home that evening after a long day on the road and looked them up on the internet.  I found their site and became very interested in what they do and the cheeses they craft.  I see a certain pride in what they do and, in turn, I feel a certain measure of pride in being able to buy their cheese.  Athough a bit more expensive than your average store-shelf cheeses, I don’t feel any pangs of guilt in spending my hard-earned cash because it means I am supporting, firstly, a small, non-corporate business, and, secondly, an Oregon business.  There is reason to take pride in this.  There is reason to celebrate in this.

Living in Oregon means having the luxury of easily finding (relatively speaking) local products ranging from organic vegetables and fruit to free-range meats to handcrafted cheeses and breads.  This is a luxury I am very fortunate to have.  Depending on where you live, you may not have this luxury and I share in your frustration.  I’ve lived in places where this abundance was not so abundant.  This is where this website will hopefully come in as being a helpful guide and a forum for discussion.

The general aim for this site is to discuss, inform, question, and promote artisans of fyne food and drynk, as this site’s moniker says.  I say inform and question because, as in many things (as has been revealed in the recent past…) politics taints all.  It is a sad thing that politics has wormed in its snarly way onto our table and into our mouths, but it is a reality we all have to face.  Whether we are carnivores, vegetarians, drinkers or not, we all have a responsibility to gain control of what we not only consume, but what we share in glad tidings with friends and family.  Also, this site will be a central meeting place for those of us wishing to trade recipes, share cooking ideas, and to help each other with tips and assistance.  The vision for this site has not been fully realized, but in working with other contributors, I hope to flesh out this skeleton within a few months.

Speaking of contributors, my partner in this inception, Mary, is a long-time and much-loved friend.  We’ve discussed many of these topics and ideas over food, through loud music in bars, and during quiet mid-band-practice lulls.  I felt that it was time to bring these lively discussions and ideas to the digital page with the hopes that we can expand to include others.

Now, the song that was a partner to the cheese!  The selection that represents the beautiful love affair we all have with food and that gave birth to this site’s title is a song by a 15th century Spanish troubador, Juan Del Encina.  I became aware of this beautiful, robust song through the work of Owain Phyfe and The New World Reanissance Band.  Here are the lyrics:

Oy comamos Y bebamos

y cantemos y holguemos

que mañana ayunaramos.

Por onrra de sant Antruejo

paremonos oy bien anchos,

enbutamos estos panchos,

rrecalquemos el pellejo,

que costrumbr’es de concejo

que todos oy nos hartemos,

que mañana ayunaremos.

Tomemos oy gasajado,

que manana viene la muerte,

bebamos, comamos huerte,

vamanos para el ganado,

no perderemos bocado,

que comiendo nos iremos,

que mañana ayunaremos.

And the modern English translation:

Let us eat and drink today.

Let us sing and enjoy life,

for tomorrow we fast.

In honor of this day of Carnival,

let us do ourselves proud,

and stuff our stomachs,

and stretch the skin.

Such custom is good advice,

that we should fill ourselves today,

for tomorrow we fast.

Let us enjoy ourselves today,

for tomorrow is like death.

Let us eat and drink everything

as we head for our flocks.

We won’t lose even a mouthful.

we’ll eat on the way,

for tomorrow we fast.

Until next time, be of good health and of better spirit.

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