FAMILY GET TOGETHERS IN PLACES THAT BRING US CLOSER

More and more we're feeling the need to start following life styles that go against the grain. A lot of people are choosing more proactive than reactive behaviours in their daily routine, shifting towards more relaxed experiences connected with their surroundings and enjoying the little things they see every day.

From the beginning of time, food has always played a major role in everyday life. And it's also been a tool for creating bonds between those around us. It can be a fun focal point to get together around where the fondness, warmth and appreciation we have for those we're with is channelled.

Organising an evening like that involves enjoying and experiencing the whole process, from supply side logistics to the table talk that unfolds with good taste and parsimony. Those spaces surrounded by nature become an excellent chance to embrace an environmentally aware model of consumption that is more sustainable and favours km 0 local products. Fresh products are always a highlight of the meal.

We'll get started with the essentials, which is the fire. We'll get some coals going that will last all evening, because you never know when we'll be putting something else on the grill. Meanwhile, amid debate, gossip and chit chat, in another part of the house they're making the cold dishes and entrées and setting the table for all the guests.

When everything is ready, the silence of the table gives way to the sounds of nature and silverware. The banquet culminates with coffee time, which becomes the first checkpoint of the day. It's a break from first conclusions and the prelude to what will stretch out over time later. Some go out for a stroll, while others choose to stay for a rest. Nothing is set in stone.

It can be revitalising to take a step back from the pace of the city and invest some time in rural areas, where nature is the perfect vessel to help you focus on the things around you that usually go unnoticed and enjoy them.

Having that sense of belonging and feeling connected with your circle sharpens the perception of what's really important. It's at those get togethers with food where we feel like time has slowed down. And we experience the time of the meal like the core of the ritual that guides and coalesces the whole experience. The energy of intimacy prevails in the inhabited space and permeates memory. That's why it's only logical to end up returning to those places that bring us together.