A Scientific Family Get-Together
March 23, 2009
At a recent back yard meal, a group of scientists
that I know was celebrating several birthdays and anniversaries.
For some, it was the kind of birthday that ends in a zero.
Others were marking the number of years since they had arrived
in the United States to do research and, eventually, to settle down.
Several in this group did not have children, and the ones who had
immigrated to this country for work tended not to have family nearby.
So their work community really was their family.
They reminisced about working together in various labs.
They tried to analyze why it was that keeping the avocado pit
in the avocado salad prevented the fruit from turning brown.
(No solution was found.) One woman had made an album of get-togethers
shared through many years of friendship.
I am no scientist, but my close observation of this group
in their natural habitat provided a vivid glimpse into the
genus homo sapien: They need to eat. They need to feel connection
and meaning. They like to get together over a meal, especially
one with watermelon and cheesecake for dessert.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
