“below simple surfaces lie souls of infinite complexity” — has been dawning on me ever since I became a Christian
Even when you’re out of sorts with food, your dishes are so creative!
The image of the cleaver is astonishingly apt. Cooking is no menial hobby; it’s hefty in importance! There’s no substitute for what it does in the home, for fellowship and for our bodies.
If I didn't love cooking enough, I love it even more now through your sublime writing. I used to hate cooking, but I also had to break through a barrier to become enamored, and now I even feel weird when I'm not cooking at least once a day.
Absolutely LOVE this--and needed to read it because I'm currently suffering from a bad attitude about tonight being my turn to cook dinner.
As you know, to me, "food" has never, ever, ever been synonymous with "love." And as you also know, my husband makes and receives food from others as one of the ultimate forms of love.
Not to blame everything on society, but--in today's society, food is so often marketed as something to be "used" for weight loss, weight gain, health benefits, etc. with little emphasis on how intimate feeding each other actually is. Instead of recognizing that putting someone else's prepared food in your body is an active way of trusting them to keep you healthy, fed, and satisfied, we often fall into the trap of viewing food as the means to an end. At least, I know I and the millions of Americans affected by food and diet advertisements see it that way.
You might find The Supper of The Lamb stimulating. He makes exactly that point—that in modernity we are taught to view food as a means to an end, when really everything in God's creation should be appreciated not for what it can do but what it is: an inherently good thing.
One food book recommendation for you: "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. An extended discussion of how to decide what to eat. Extremely thought-provoking.
“below simple surfaces lie souls of infinite complexity” — has been dawning on me ever since I became a Christian
Even when you’re out of sorts with food, your dishes are so creative!
The image of the cleaver is astonishingly apt. Cooking is no menial hobby; it’s hefty in importance! There’s no substitute for what it does in the home, for fellowship and for our bodies.
Kendall Vanderslice of Edible Theology is a great resource for thoughts at the intersection of food and theology!
If I didn't love cooking enough, I love it even more now through your sublime writing. I used to hate cooking, but I also had to break through a barrier to become enamored, and now I even feel weird when I'm not cooking at least once a day.
That’s amazing! It is an aspect of life that most people must experience at one time or another, so it’s great when we can fall in love with it
Definitely! I also love just buying ingredients without knowing what I’ll make but then stumbling upon a recipe that has all the ingredients I have.
Wow I think our minds work alike 😂 I know many people who HATE working that way but it’s my Modus operandi
Hahaha. I love that. It’s a bit chaotic and spontaneous but still works.
Absolutely LOVE this--and needed to read it because I'm currently suffering from a bad attitude about tonight being my turn to cook dinner.
As you know, to me, "food" has never, ever, ever been synonymous with "love." And as you also know, my husband makes and receives food from others as one of the ultimate forms of love.
Not to blame everything on society, but--in today's society, food is so often marketed as something to be "used" for weight loss, weight gain, health benefits, etc. with little emphasis on how intimate feeding each other actually is. Instead of recognizing that putting someone else's prepared food in your body is an active way of trusting them to keep you healthy, fed, and satisfied, we often fall into the trap of viewing food as the means to an end. At least, I know I and the millions of Americans affected by food and diet advertisements see it that way.
You might find The Supper of The Lamb stimulating. He makes exactly that point—that in modernity we are taught to view food as a means to an end, when really everything in God's creation should be appreciated not for what it can do but what it is: an inherently good thing.
This reminds me of some tumblr-post-thread of someone realizing there's a word for the realization that each and every random passerby has a life as deep in meaning and complex as your own, and you'll never get to know all of them. A quick Google search shows an article about Sonder, but I think the post was far more interesting than the article. (https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-magazine-for-january-9-2022-1.6307530/what-does-it-mean-to-sonder-author-invents-new-words-that-resonate-during-the-pandemic-1.6321644#:~:text=Sonder%3A%20the%20realization%20that%20each,sipping%20coffee%20in%20the%20background.) I always love reading your writing, Amelia. Now, to decide what I will have for dinner <3
I suppose an alternative title could have been “the secret life of food” lol
Have you read Tamar Adler's "The Everlasting Meal" - would be a fabulous addition to what you've already read here. I was so inspired by it.
Haven’t even heard of it before! I’ll check it out
One food book recommendation for you: "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. An extended discussion of how to decide what to eat. Extremely thought-provoking.
I just got that book on Kindle and started the first chapter on “corn people!”