Divine Mouthful

Every few months, on a Sunday morning, my inbox brims with messages of love. They say things like:

So beautiful for the eyes and the mouth.
Just love our evenings together so very much.
There are not enough superlatives in this world...
What a grand night of laughter and love with an extra serving of deliciousness.
I can't believe how fast six hours can fly by...and how I always wish it didn't have to end.
I LOVE US! It just get better.

There is no illicit affair here, no clandestine meeting every few months. But there is a married man involved. Three of them, in fact.

What generates such passion is Boccodivino. That's Italian for divine mouthful, and it's also the name of a ten-person dinner gathering held roughly once a season. The love messages, sent to everyone in the group, follow on the mornings after our dinners.

photo by Willie Weir

We take turns hosting, and each person cooks a small plate for each meal. What one cooks is determined solely by that person. Sometimes there's a theme, usually not. Some of us cooked little before Bocco, as we call it, and no one in the group is a professional. After 14 dinners together, we now flow effortlessly in and out of each other's kitchens, find our unassigned places at each other's tables, and manage to delight and enlighten each other in new and surprising ways.

photo by Willie Weir

It's not overstating things to call Bocco an adventure. The food, the knock-out food, is original, personal, sometimes risky, and always interesting. As cooks we try new things: cleaning squid, baking a souffle on the spot, deep frying onion rings, making fresh cheese, and composing a tomato terrine. As diners we've been treated to dozens of enchanting dishes, such as the aforementioned, and things like a shocking-magenta beet and vodka cocktail; pork loin with fig chutney, savory whipped cream, and a poached apple rose; fluffy lemon snow pudding; a scallop appetizer full of unexpected flavors and textures; a beautiful and light salad with pear dressing; and a creamy soup made from home-grown greens.

photo by Willie Weir

What makes these evenings so magical, though, is way beyond the food, and our strong connection to each other is a bit mysterious to me. I've been in other groups that just never ripen--never fully develop--and ones that rot because of a noxious personality or too many rules. But Bocco thrives--it now has a life of its own. It is the gift that keeps on giving in unexpected new ways. Food brought us together, but something more than sharing a meal is going on here.

photo by Willie Weir

Maybe Bocco can't be analyzed and copied exactly elsewhere, but it has taught me things that enhance every part of my life:

1. Everyone brings something unique to the table. Would you really want it any other way?
2. No matter what, show up, even empty handed. You are more than what you carry with you; your presence is important.
3. Value experimentation over perfection. It opens into new worlds.

I can't wait for our 15th dinner, and the messages that follow, like these from dinners past:

...a sensory overload extravaganza...but even more meaningful to me was the fun of being with you
Another Morning After The Divine Indulgence
My house goes up in value each time we gather here!!

Note: Photos for this post are by Willie Weir and used by permission. Thanks, Willie! Willie is an adventure cyclist and a gifted writer and speaker. For more, see Yellow Tent Adventures.


photo by Willie Weir