One of the main things I absolutely love about food is that it brings people together.

Offer someone a cup of tea and the grounds on which an acquaintance stands on begins to deepen. And let me just say; the way to my heart is certainly through my stomach!

A few years ago a good friend of mine, Nicole, started a neighborhood Christmas lunch feast – she and her housemates invited their neighborhood community to a lane-way party outside their house. They made a slow roast lamb and vegetables and the neighbours were invited to get involved in this bring-and-share lunch by sharing a dessert or salad. This was all in aid of getting to know the fella next door – making the community smaller and friendlier (and it also meant that there was someone’s door you could knock on when you ran out of sugar.)

As I had recently moved into the leafy suburb of Surry Hills (notorious in the 1920’s for illegal speakeasies and underground jazz clubs – my kinda place) I was invited to the 2013 Christmas Feast, and I couldn’t wait. My bright red bicycle and I rounded the corner into a little bricked lane, decorated with colourful bunting strung between the houses. There was a long wooden table laden with flowers, friends, steaming food and good wine. It was a merry saturday afternoon, indeed.

This is what we all could do a bit more of – sharing food and sharing the love! I dare you to give it a go – especially since it’s Christmas.