The pleasure has come from learning so much about the food we consume each day: how food begins on a farm, the processes of manufacturing and food production, and how we ultimately handle the nourishment we choose each day. My hope in exploring these topics in these pages is that you would also learn along with me, gaining knowledge and an appreciation for the food we often take for granted.

Tasting food of all kinds has been another perk of the job. From mass-produced cereals, snacks, sauces, condiments and candies to fresh foods and restaurant specialties, many morsels have passed these lips over the years, adding to the food knowledge I have shared with you.

I have come to know many of you: readers and home cooks, farmers, food wholesalers and retailers, chefs, wine experts and others whose livelihoods and interests center on the culinary world. I have gained many friends, and I hope I will continue these delicious relationships.

Since my first column appeared, extolling the virtues of baking bread from scratch, I have had three goals in mind: First, to instill an appreciation for food and a heightened awareness for its taste. All of us need to be concerned about what we eat: Our health and survival depend upon it. And what we eat should taste good; my motto has always been that if it doesn't taste good, it is not worth the calories. Admittedly it is not always possible to get the best or afford the best, but it is a goal we should aspire to.

Second, I hope we will all continue to support our Hawai'i farmers and food producers. They are an important part of our community and our economy. They work hard to provide fresh products for our tables, and we need to be smarter shoppers, asking and demanding more locally grown and raised foods. Fresh products are nutritionally better and, I think, tastier, too.

Third, my hope is that you will continue the tradition of cooking at home. It is, I fear, a dying art, but one that gives so much pleasure. Cooking doesn't have to be fancy and complicated; fresh, simple and tasty are my cooking guidelines that always seem to provide pleasure to those who dine with me. Take the time to cook and dine: It is truly one of life's greatest pleasures.

My passion and interest in food remains constant. As the former owner of a kitchen specialty shop, an avid cook and a food writer, it goes without saying that I am a foodie and food lover. By December, I hope to have ready a book featuring food articles that have graced these pages over the last seven years. And I look forward to participating in the food community in other ways.