A friend is dying from cancer. He's receiving visitors, possibly for the final time. ("I should charge admission," he joked.) We all would pay double.

I'm going to see him soon.

"But no food," he said.

Their family kitchen is already bursting, plus, he can't stomach it anyway. More subtly, he's asking for something else: me.

Just me.

The sliced loaf or casserole acts as a shield, protecting me from the pain and enormity of the moment. (But does it? Does it really protect?) My delusion: carrying food into that moment gives me a smidge of control; in the face of terminal cancer, at least I can do ... something.

Without food, I'm asked to show up empty-handed and vulnerably open-hearted. Can I keep my heart and mind open by his bedside? Can I stay present to my friend and his reality today and tomorrow?

Why am I so afraid of death?

On Thurs., Aug. 15, Crabtree Farms is hosting a very powerful evening called Death Over Dinner, asking these very questions.

"Let's have dinner and talk about death," the invitation reads.

Death Over Dinner is one aspect of the beautiful work of Sherry Campbell, founder of Welcome Home, a regional nonprofit that offers shelter and compassionate care for terminally-ill homeless Chattanoogans.

Part of Welcome Home's work is to demystify death – to create opportunities for us to talk about the one thing we avoid most. So, the folks there routinely hold Death Over Dinner conversations. (It's stunningly profound, really. Who else is doing such work?)

It will be a beautiful evening of meaningful conversation and good food at Crabtree Farms. You can reserve your seat here.

• Thanks for the tips on the Lookouts beer guy. I think we found him.

Speaking of the Lookouts, they host a Food Drive this Sunday. Bring some canned goods or non-perishables and get a game ticket for free. First pitch against the Blue Wahoos = 2.15 pm.

• Last week, we introduced a new challenge/idea: can we each prepare one meal a week entirely of local food?

Sarah went first.

Now, it's my turn.

For me in the kitchen, simple is best: Midway Mushrooms, okra and tomatoes from the garden. The ripe purple-red tomatoes were part of dinner. The green ones? I have a recipe for them soon. (The red blend – bottom corner, right – is not local. Anybody source that?)

Into the skillet. Medium-ish heat, then, I turn it down.

With some olive oil.

And loads of tumeric, available from our good friends at Rising Fawn Gardens.

We'd love to publish photos from you. Send us your local food meal over email or Instagram.

• As promised, more recipes. Circle S Farm's Letty Smith generously gave us a copy of her Good Grazing cookbook, loaded with possibilities for your local food meal.

Here's her Vegetarian Po' Boy Sandwich. You can find eggplant from Jones Farm, warm breads from Niedlov's Bakery & Cafe or Bread and Butter and zucchini from Hernandez Farms at the Main Street Farmers' Market this afternoon. (And, boy, it's a good time for honey. Our friends Carmen Davis and Nooga Honey Pot's at the market today, while Eddie McKenzie returns next week.)

Thanks, Letty.

See you Sunday, everyone.

All photography by Sarah Unger (sarah@foodasaverb.com)

All design by Alex DeHart

All words by David Cook (david@foodasaverb.com)

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in sponsorship or advertising opportunities? Email us: david@foodasaverb.com and sarah@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.