Gemini - the dueling all-star!

Gemini is the sign of communication and travel… the Web is their utopia. Blazing through cyberspace and tweeting their brain synapses at the speed of light is second nature to them. Couple this with the need to eat for survival and you get the creators of fast food, it’s their birthright and ritual. Not necessarily junk food, but eating-on-the-go food. They have nailed the anatomical coordination skills required to eat while walking, reading, or typing, but prefer to eat in an environment where others are moving around and they can people-watch. If the environment is moving – like a train, plane or a revolving restaurant on a skyscraper – even better. A table near a window with a view of the forests, vineyards or mountains racing by will ground them.

Gemini thrives on great conversations at the table, but don’t monopolize their attention or bore them with long monologues. Oh, and don’t ignore them either. Sound a bit contradictory? Hmmm… the sign of the twins is the model of duality. They can keep track of several conversations at one time, including the ongoing debate in their own heads.

Running the gamut of emotions in record time can seriously affect their eating habits and digestive tracts. This moodiness and non-committal behavior gives them a bad reputation. Justified or not, the good news is that they are a lot of fun to hang out with, just try to keep up. Happier to read a cookbook on Kindle™ than to actually cook the meal, you will always impress them by offering to cook for them or suggesting the restaurant. Keep it interesting though, they need ethnic diversity and interesting food combinations. And don’t forget the eco-friendly doggie bags for the leftovers. Leftovers are a staple in the Gemini diet; food that is already cooked, in a to-go container, and they know they liked it!

Gemini loves a good mystery because they can’t stand not knowing what’s going on and will thrive on figuring it out. Meet them at the hot dog kiosk with your latest Agatha Christie, but be on guard, they will grab it out of your hand to read the last chapter (bring the latest gossip tabloid for back up).

Favorite Foods: anything that can peak their attention and spark conversation. Cultural diversity, buffets for variety, salads full of crunchies, casseroles, or foods with layers and complicated presentations. It’s a challenge to create foods in a hurry that still provoke mental activity. Normally they don’t have many eating rituals because they are constantly morphing, but they do love historical landmarks that have restaurants with traditional foods and will actual still themselves long enough to blend with an environment that can feed their soul.

The next time you see a group of mall-walkers and one is eating, talking, and micro-blogging in unison with butterfly grace, you’ve spotted a Gemini.

An excerpt from Stars in Your Stomach, Chef Cosmo's Planetary Cucina!