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| ISSUE NO. 686 |
| SO OFTEN WE THINK OF 'LESS IS MORE' . . . but our recent conversation around the psychology of cooking less has us wondering...could cooking more be a way of cooking less? Yes, in the sense that we can sometimes make big batches of something and create freezer meals for a later date. Yes, in the sense that the more practiced we are, the easier it becomes to create fast and satisfying meals, which in turn reduces the mental / emotional burden of cooking. And one more yes, in the sense that when we cook in community with one another, near or far, it also reduces that burden, and has the capacity to make us feel like we are cooking less. Over the past week, I've been thinking of a little shift in habit I started years ago, as I adapted to the rhythms of having a child who attends public school here in the U.S. I noticed that during the hours they were off at school (those always too-short hours, which sometimes seemed to bend and shrink like some wonky scene out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) I would race to do all the things I felt I had to do, or should do...and by the time they arrived home, I was just getting to the point where I felt I could do what I wanted to do. For me, the latter often involved things that required, or thrived in, the company of silence and solitude. At some point, I started putting off the 'had to's and the 'should do's until the kid got home, and after giving them a loving greeting, I could be present while being busy with my own tasks - chores that required a different kind of energy, like dishes, laundry, paying bills, answering emails, etc. In our particular household, this meant that my child also felt empowered to do their own thing, knowing we were cozy in one another's orbit, but not relying on my singular, devoted attention for their own sense of wellbeing (an experience that has been truer than ever as they enter adolescence, and need more solitude of their own). Recently, I've found a new layer to this restorative habit of doing what I want to do first. I've found that it is, in effect, a way of being attentive to oneself, a deep form of listening. And as a daily practice, it allows me to continually notice my unconscious habits toward sacrificing myself for others...and gently, gradually, in the most miniscule ways, nudge my boat along without fighting the current. So even now in my longer stretches of time to myself, I interrupt the urge to make the bed before I eat something, or to tidy up the kitchen before I write down those lines in my notebook that I don't want to forget. All of this takes the weight of what I value most, which can sometimes hang over me, neglected, until I finally turn to it after giving everything else my attention, and lightens it up so that I can feel grounded in those valued things as I go about the rest of my day. This practice, and the feelings it invokes, are part of why we are creating a GFJ Cook Along. We anticipate that many of you share these feelings and attentiveness to daily practices. We also know that if you feel on the outside of that kind of kitchen comfort, and are not sure how to find your way in, that we want to create space for your questions, hesitations, and concerns. We want to extend the rhythm of our cooking lives into community with all of you. Although we have outlined a few general characteristics of the Cook Along, we also want this to be the kind of ritual that can be picked up and put down at any time. You won't be left out or left behind if you don't like the ingredient we are working with on any particular month, or don't have the time or energy to devote to it. And, at least in this one particular case, there is no such thing as being late to the party. / GFJ Cook Along / / Each month, we'll share an ingredient (like rice) or simple dish (like tomato sauce). / This item will be incorporated into our cooking at least once each week for the duration of the month. / We'll take your questions, suggestions, ideas, and comments along the way. / At the end of the month, we'll share results, discoveries, and inspirations. Our best time spent in the kitchen is meditative, attentive, and in good company - or in anticipation of good company - even when that company is only ourselves. The dream of the GFJ Cook Along is that we will be able to feel more togetherness, across many boundaries, each time we engage in the simple act of nourishing ourselves and one another. Next week, we are taking a respite from the newsletter to give our attention to family and rest. We'll see you back here in April to kick off the first installment of the Cook Along. If you have suggestions or wish lists for what we might begin with, please reach out. In community, Tay + Dor photo by Sophia Piña-McMahon |
tidbits...resources on anti-racism, environmentalism and food culture AKA stuff we're reading / listening to / watching / noticing / thinking about / captivated by this Tuesday . . . |
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