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Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

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“Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance,” said Epicurus.
 
After celebrating a tradition-rich Nowouz which is the Persian New Year marked by the first day of spring, my family celebrated Passover. Over the same weekend some celebrated Easter, some seezdah-bedar, some weekly Sunday suppers- and many other traditions continued around the word. Though the observers and rituals may have been different, the common denominator was a festive meal.
 

At Basil & Roses we call it “Breaking Bread together In Style.” But no matter what your style, customs or origin story- when we gather to enjoy a meal, we are unified in engaging in a tradition as old as humanity—one which transcends national borders and cultural divides.  I wrote about the magic of gathering around the fire, and how we gather around the hearth and our tables to pay homage to the gift of generosity we’ve received in our lifetime. Today, I am wondering, how to expand that circle further.

As I reflect on my own experiences, I realize what a privilege it was to grow up in a home with many gatherings. My parents were extraordinary hosts who believed in the art of bringing people together and creating memories.  Indeed much bread has been broken under the roof of their loving home.

Today, the long dining table in my family home has a magical aura about it. It is as if, the collective energy of the all the people who have shared a meal around this table has penetrated the wooden top, permeates the room and gives back a little bit of that joy to every newcomer. That energy gives the dining room the fragrance of light happiness, gently perfumed by the memory of the scent of the 68,000 estimated onions chopped in its adjacent kitchen over the past twenty two years.

It is that magic which I want to spread with this essay and with my cooking. It is undoubtedly special to share a meal with those dear to us. Wouldn’t be nice if we extended that offer to others we have the opportunity to get to know better? I’m not suggesting inviting strangers off the street into our homes, but maybe we can expand our reach and open our tables to those we don’t know as well. To those with different political points of view, different religious beliefs, different lifestyles. Though not an easy task, perhaps while we’re breaking bread together, we can learn to listen to each other, break barriers and build bridges to ultimately learn from one another.

Our society seems more segmented than ever today. But when we break bread together, somehow we are equal. Through the ingredients of the meal, we share a common connection to the the earth and sun which worked to create sustenance for us. There are organizations all over the US doing great work with their own “breaking bread, breaking barriers” projects supporting refugee communities. Community meals are sponsored by Churches, Mosques and Synagogues everywhere. Community restaurants like Soul Kitchen in NJ, are offering locally sourced ingredients along with dignity for those in need.

“The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual of family and community, from the mere animal biology to an act of culture.” says Michael Pollan.

Eating delicious food is an indulgence. But there can also be great satisfaction with sharing your food with others.  Whether you break bread with two people or your entire community, try reaching out. You may be surprised how many people are interested in your traditions. Consider the potential of the connections you can create with this small effort. We live in a world in which there are 7,000 estimated languages spoken, but there is one that is universal and that is food! Let’s start the dialogue… or simply, invite those neighbors which we never got to know, over for dinner one night next week.

“In the shade of the lemon grove I break off a hunch of bread, sprinkle it with the delicious fruity olive oil, empty my glass of sour white Capri wine; and remember that Norman Douglas once wrote that whoever has helped us to a larger understanding is entitled to our gratitude for all time.” A beautiful quote from Elizabeth David- a soulful food visionary of the 1950’s.

What is the moral of the story here?

Eat well and eat together.

Below I share with you photos of the gorgeous dishes our generous hosts prepared for us this past Passover. Once again, I was grateful for meeting new faces at these tables, and the indulgences inspired but family, tradition and love.

Hope to see you at a table soon and break break together in style!

 

 

The Fire Of Our Lives

The Fire Of Our Lives

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There is something uniquely special about the appeal of fire, we love being around the warmth and glow it creates. There is something that draws us towards the bonfire and the hearth. I believe our memories- conscious or subconscious, personal or collective are a part of that draw. Most of us have treasured memories of people who have cooked for us- Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents, friends… We cherish these memories because they are a special reminder of the love and generosity we’ve received in our lifetime. We gather around the fire, and the hearth and our tables to pay homage to that gift. To quote Michael Pollan, “a good pot holds memories.“

Tahran, Iran circa 1970

Most cultures have some form of grilling tradition which usually results in groups of people in the family or community gathering around a fire and sharing a meal together. Kebabs in the Middle East, Asado in Argentina, Tandoor in India, Churrasco in Brazil, Luau in Hawaii, Sausage Sizzle in Australia,  Gogigui in Korea, Hibachi in Japan, Chuanr and Char Siu in China, Sataay in Southeast Asia, Lechon in the Philippines, Braii in South Africa (for which there is apparently a national day and anthem). And of course there is the classic American Backyard BBQ which many of us enjoyed this past Memorial Day Weekend.

Each of these traditions have their own unique style and flavor, but the common denominator is the communal aspect of the tradition. The lyrics in South Africa’s Braii anthem go “We stand united at the bonfire. We raise our glasses to the clear, blue sky, tell me your story and I’ll tell you mine.” Gathering around the grill is universal. When we don’t have an actual fire, we gather in our kitchens. Near the hearth, near the source of the fire, around those whom provide for us sustenance and satisfaction. One of my personal highlights of the year is that moment when I bring the turkey out of the oven on Thanksgiving day. Surrounded by friends and family who applaud and cheer as if I just invented bread! I love that moment and appreciate their gratitude. Everyone wants to take a picture with me and the turkey- which incidentally works out nicely, it gives our bird the right amount of time to rest.

As an avid cook, I may be biased on the importance of cooking and how it elevates our experience. Beyond my personal passion, there is an important evolutionary aspect of cooking that may be represented in the fires we gather around.

Cooking is what separates us from our evolutionary cousins, what made us civilized creatures. Learning to cook elevated humans from lone animal to more intelligent beings. Some neurologist believe the reason humans have bigger brains than gorillas is because we learned to cook. By using fire to cook our food, we spent less time foraging and less time chewing our food. This allowed us to get more energy out of our food, allowing our brains to grow. Although the human brain is 2% of our body mass, approximately 20% of what we consume fuels brain activity. The more calories we consumed, the more our brains grew.  With more time spent around the fire, we spend more time together and learned from one another.  This topic is artfully covered by the fantastic Michael Pollan in his book Cooked, now a stunning docu-series on Netflix. A visually captivating, poignant and educational series.

“The discovery of fire and its use with cooking completely change our evolutionary curve, enabling us to shrink our guts and grow our brains…The cook fire tamed us and socialized us by giving us the institution of the meal.” -Michael Pollan

This history of us is fascinating. Cooking plays a role in how we came to be creatures which have the capacity to enjoy life. A transformation occurred when we stopped cooking for survival, and started cooking for pleasure. So raise a glass to friends and loved ones who cook for you and who’s kitchens you’ve gathered around. Not only are they the source of many of our best experiences, it may also be that without them we would be a lot less intelligent!

I love to grill and summer BBQ’s are a wonderful way to gather around the fire for “old times” sake.

This week I’ll share my favorite grilling recipes with you. From the now (somewhat) famous
“Naz Burger”, to fun marinades for grilled chicken and fresh summer veggie recipes.

Happy Summer, my fellow humans!