Food has always had the capacity to bring me joy. Even in Auschwitz, barely existing on the prison regimen of thin broth and crusts of bread, we prepared feasts in our minds, arguing over how much caraway goes into the best rye bread, how much paprika in Hungarian paprikash, praising the ingredients and choreographing the preparation of our favorite dishes.
During those heated arguments, for those moments, we were back in the life of love and food. Those loved foods nurtured us even then.
What began as an attempt to connect with the past has also become a way to embrace the present. As I've come to know and love the distinctive flavors of American cooking, I've adapted my recipes with the imprint of my new home. And in my training and practice as a psychologist, I've come to see that food is significant to our, emotional, and spiritual health; it feeds us beyond physical nourishment. The way we approach our meals affects how we think, feel, and behave.