Did you happen to see this article in the NY Times -- Where the Votes Are, So are All Those Calories?
A couple of paragraphs from the article were particularly relevant to Know Your Neighbor:
Those wanting to be president must never, ever refuse or fumble the local specialties, lest they repeat the sins of John Kerry (dismissed as effete when he ordered a Philly cheese steak with Swiss in 2004) or Gerald R. Ford (on a 1976 swing through Texas, he bit into a tamale with the corn husk still on).
Downing a regional delicacy with aplomb, Mr. Scheib said, tells voters: “I’m one of you. I’m part of this area. Vote for me.”
“There are few things more personal than eating,” he said, “and if you reject someone’s food, you kind of reject them.”
Which is why inviting people into our homes (and accepting invitations to others' homes) to share a meal is such an integral aspect of Know Your Neighbor.
Consider this for a moment -- of all the people that you are really close to -- are there any with whom you haven't shared a meal?
Related posts:
Sharing a meal
Finding common ground
Disney's Pass the Plate
A Casserole is a Neighborly Gift
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