
Beauty comes in many forms and means various things to different people. For me, one of the great visual pleasures in this world is the sight of fresh food; meat, fruit and vegetables, and the possibilities they present.
One of the dangers in the processed food universe is the expertly nuanced tricks it can play on the mind. This is because over decades processed food manufacturers have learned, through the application of psychology to our buying habits, how to manipulate consumers into paying for their products. Thus, the way processed food is presented, described, packaged, placed on supermarket shelves and how it is marketed is nuanced to make the processed product attractive and desirable. We may not fully understand why we want to purchase an instant meal or sweet snack, but we feel the compassion to do so anyway.
But for me, there is more pleasure in seeing the simple beauty and potential in fresh ingredients and thinking about what they can be combined with to make a delicious meal. Through that process of visualisation and consideration, the meal when it comes can be both nutritious and fulfilling. It is not something that rolls off a production line in a factory somewhere, but an individual creation which is more satisfying and healthy for all that.
So, start with what is seen, then create and enjoy.