jews & food - a love/hate relationship

I was home with my family for Shabbos the other week when I realized how much more I eat at home than I do when I live on my own. My mother is one of those Jewish mamas who considers a normal Friday night meal to include 6 courses, 5 salads, 3 meat dishes, 4 desserts... where Shabbos lunch extends into Shalo'shidis (why does no one else write it the way we Ashkis say it - or should I just stick to 'Seudah Shlishit' for the purposes of this post). And it's the kind of food that your eyes want, but your stomach can't take. I don't eat as much at other people's homes - maybe because I'm more self-conscious or maybe because the food doesn't look as appetizing or maybe I spend more time talking than eating...

Anyhow, that Shabbos had me thinking about how our relationship with food becomes defined by our faith. Almost every holiday is about food. The ones that aren't become about 'not eating' - so in a reverse-psychology kind of way are about food too. Someone I know defined Jewish holidays this way: "They tried to kill us, they didn't succeed. We're still here, let's eat!"

My non-Jewish friends and co-workers always complain around X-mas and Thanksgiving that they have so much to cook - but for some reason, their menus seem to pale in comparison to the weekly food-fest known as Shabbos that my family celebrates.

How on earth do we do it?