Soul
Cooking
“Soul
food is just what the name implies. It is soulfully cooked food or richly
flavored food, good for your ever-lasting soul.”
Sheila
Ferguson
I cook
like my grandmother did—by feel and taste. Occasionally I consult a recipe, just
to give advice on quantities more than to strictly follow. I’m proud to say,
both my sons cook and, like me, they experiment with food flavors and concoct
their own versions of recipes. Soul food is a whole-body experience. It connects
hands, heart, head, tummy, and taste buds. And what’s even better, cooking and
baking offer a creative outlet for some of the tension we are experiencing
right now.
During
the pandemic, while they are staying home and have extra time, folks I know are
cooking more and, since it’s summer, cooking fresh. My friend Sharon brought
me a dozen eggs from a Cullman County friend who has free-range chickens. These
eggs are all sizes and colors, and so much more flavorful than eggs from
commercial growers. I have “taken to makin’” (a my grandmother would say)
simple soups—just bone broth, some meat or mushrooms, onions, garlic, salt and
pepper, grain (farrow is my favorite), and when that’s cooked, adding lemon
juice and, especially if it’s chicken soup, beaten eggs. Sprinkle some fresh
chopped tomatoes and home-grown herbs on top, and you’ve got a little bit of
heaven in a bowl.
When I’m
stressed out over the way the world is going, over the pandemic, over all the
craziness of people and politics—cooking is an absorbing, productive way of calming
down and refocusing attention on something positive. My friend Rebecca gave me
a kitchen towel that says, “Love People? Cook Them Tasty Food.” It’s a good motto
for the time we are in. While wondering what the future holds, what will happen
next, when we can get back to some semblance of normalcy, cooking and sharing
food is a good way to stay connected. And if you’re a person who loves to cook,
putting a good, big, dollop of soul into that food is even better. In whatever
way you are able—share the love. We all need an extra helping right now.
In the
Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment