If you’ve read more than a few of my blogs, you’ve probably figured out that sampling local food and drink is one of the major focal points of my travel experiences. Thank goodness I make a point of doing a lot of walking on those trips, as well! Honestly, it’s not all just about the eating and drinking. There’s a wonderful communal spirit that develops around a table as one satisfies the needs of an empty stomach and a dry palate with others, be they strangers or friends — and often, by the end of such a meal, everyone is a friend!

One dinner I enjoyed in Italy really reinforced that concept. About a dozen of us gathered on the terrace of our friends’ home in a small village about 50 miles northwest of Rome. The evening was warm and the views from our perch on a hillside looking east over the valley below and mountains beyond, gradually fading into twilight, were lovely and serene. Our hostess, Sheri, declined help with dinner preparations, insisting it was “too easy.”

A long table was set up, and two plain wooden boards, each about 15 inches wide and 30 inches long, were placed in the middle of it. Sheri then appeared with a large pot of steaming polenta with the consistency of porridge, which she proceeded to spread out in a layer over the boards. On top of the polenta she smoothed a layer of savory tomato sauce generously amended with chunks of sweet Italian sausage. Each of us grabbed a chair, a fork and several napkins; staked out our “territory” on a portion of the board before us; and then dug in.

Having never enjoyed polenta this way (nor had the rest of my dining companions), I learned it’s actually a popular dish in Central Italy, and it’s easy to see why: an easy set-up for the host, tasty and filling for the guests, and the literally communal board ensures a party atmosphere.

Before we’d even left Italy, Harry and I decided we’d have to host our own polenta party back home, once the weather turns nice. Although a plain wooden cutting board would do, a quick search of the Internet tells me I can order purpose-made polenta boards. Here comes the fun!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor