Just Cured - Experience Fine Foods

I have observed that the two requirements for a kaffee klatsch are good conversation, usually featuring a healthy dose of gossip, and pastry. Interestingly, actual coffee is optional.

And so, each Saturday at Findlay Market, I observe a group of men slightly older than I am get together to review the week’s events. During the colder months, they gather at the small tables inside the main Market House. The rest of the time, they sit outside along the south side of the Market. Some days the group is small, perhaps three or four. Other times, the gang approaches a dozen. I have noticed a correlation between the size of the gathering and the pastry offering. When the group is small, the men buy their own pastries from one of the Market vendors. When one of their number supplies the pastry, the group expands. Rarely is there even a single cup of coffee on the table.

When I first walked past their table yesterday morning, I suspected a large turnout — someone brought a large box of offerings from Servatii’s. True to form, when I next approached them, the group had grown to ten tackling the issues du jour.

Their conversations range from the global to the local, from the effect of the devalued dollar on the price of oil to the condition of a nearby building. Not surprisingly in this season, national and local politics play a prominent role in their discussions. This week, there was a great deal of interest in some intrigue or another in the county government.

It is clear that these men have been friends for decades or longer. They speak with an easy banter formed only after years of familiarity. Their words are punctuated with snippets and code that are incomprehensible to an outsider. They have progressed beyond finishing each others’ sentences; they start thoughts for each other.

As is the case on many Saturdays, yesterday I accepted their entreaties and stopped a couple of times to chat for a few minutes. One day I will unlock their code and understand both the obvious and the subtle in their conversations. Until then, I will appreciate their offers of inclusion and stop by from time to time.

Enjoy the coffee-optional times guys. I wonder, does smoked salmon go with sweet breakfast pastries?