On Edible Art, an Introduction, Part the First
by The Phantom
Greetings, dear reader. One’s interaction with art is always, of course, a subjective and solitary experience. This is true even in the midst of a crowd: ten thousand fans at a concert, or two people holding hands side by side in a museum, can experience the same work quite differently. One brings oneself to the moment and in so doing completes the creative cycle, for without the recipient the work is without meaning, a tree falling in a dark forest. This is inevitable and unavoidable, true even when the observer is the creator. As the great Twentieth Century polymath Dr. Buckaroo Banzai taught us, “no matter where you go, there you are.”
It follows, therefore, that one person, viewing from a unique frame of reference and own way of being might have a stronger attraction to one form of art over others, while a peer might bring a different set of preferences, and so appreciate more a different form. And so it is that enjoy a world of art in all of its infinite and wonderful variation, created to meet people in all their infinite and wonderful variation.
This premise being established, the Phantom wishes to advance the proposition, or perhaps we should say the opinion, that, the aforementioned notwithstanding, it is in fact the case one form of art is superior to all others. To be clear, the Phantom loves all art. The Phantom greatly enjoys the opera, or course – is obsessed with opera – but as well the Phantom appreciates other forms of art, whether visual or literary, musical or theatrical, classical, contemporary or futuristic. The Phantom finds kinetic dance of all genres to be fascinating, and will even on occasion sit through a bout of spoken word, as pretentious and self-indulgent as it may sometimes be. Simply put, the Phantom supports all art – good, bad and indecipherable – as worthy expressions of our humanity.
However, dear one, the Phantom must assert a clear differentiation. There simply must be some right perspective in the world. The noted American philosopher Ignatius Reilly emphasized, correctly, there is such a thing as a hierarchy of principle and right order to our existence, even in our world of postmodern relativity. The Phantom proffers, therefore, that we must recognize that one art form towers over all others in terms of its ineffable beauty, its literal good taste, and its often unadorned, earthy essentiality.
The Phantom maintains such because only one art form is so universal, reaching as it does across cultures, across space and epochs, bridging the latest discoveries of the sciences with our most primitive ritualism, stimulating all of our human sensory systems at once – sight, sound, touch, smell and taste – that without it all human existence would cease. Indeed, humanity as we know it would never have come into existence without it. It is an art form that all people, even the most common and mean, consume.
The Phantom speaks, of course, of the culinary arts: the skills and creative processes applied in preparing and presenting food for our consumption and ecstatic wonder.
But wait. The Phantom has so rudely rushed ahead of things. Please, forgive me, dear reader, I have trespassed on your good will. Would you be so gracious, at this point, to show me a great kindness, and allow me to introduce myself?
Please understand that I would not normally, as a matter of course, presume to impose so, but while we have not yet become acquainted, I do suspect that perhaps you and I share a common interest, or at least a general sort of enthusiasm. Do you like food? Perhaps you do not, but if you per chance do, we do in fact have a common interest, and that being the case might we journey together for a time, you and the Phantom, and explore the wonderful world of the culinary arts together, as presented here in our own happy little community?
Where shall we begin this expedition, you might ask? Where shall we seek out noteworthy expositions of the culinary arts in this obscure backwater at a far corner of the New World? Why, dear friend, examples are all about us! Our lovely little snow-globe of a home is a virtual playground for restauranteurs and food artists of all genres, one must merely step forth from one’s stoop to discover them.
But for now, gentle reader, the Phantom must leave you. For the clock in the hall chimes a signal that it is time to prepare for dinner. And so our explorations of the culinary world beyond our doorstep must continue on our next occasion. Until then, enjoy every bite. Remember: every day is a holiday.