Aging
April Ambles: Reflections of a Philosophical Forager — Day 28
Aging is perhaps one of the most feared facts of our existence, and yet it is precisely what yields experience, richness, depth, character, not only in human beings but in a host of things we revere.
Take morels, for instance. The very tiny specimens are lovely and delicate, but not yet as complex in their flavors as ones that have been allowed a few days in the sun. On the more aged spectrum they increase in potency until they begin to fade back into the earth, feeding next year’s production.
Cheese is another example. Fresh cheese curds, while they have an appealing squeaky texture, are in no way comparable to a fine aged Gouda or Parmesan. Likewise fresh goat cheese does not rival the more aged versions that can be found in markets across Europe.
Wine, of course, is the perfect example of a comestible that improves with age. A Bordeaux drunk in its early years lacks the depth and complexity of one that has been in the cave for a decade or more.
Musical instruments also improve with age, particularly the wooden ones, as their bodies become tuned to the vibrations that are yielded only by repeated playing.
While a baby’s smooth face is a beauty to behold, the many lines that etch the face of an elder who has lived long and well are infinitely more intriguing.
Why do we fear age when it is not only enriching; it is our destiny?!
