Amy's thoughts on Thanksgiving and the Joy of Sharing Food

Blue, the resident Turkey

Whether you are making and offering or accepting and receiving an ingredient, dish, treat, or meal, one of life’s great pleasures is sharing food with people dear to you.

As a nutrition professor, I regularly have the opportunity to think about and discuss with others all of the ways the procuring, preparing, offering, and receiving of food is intertwined with human interaction. Just think about it for a moment. From the moment we are born we need food. In those early years we are not yet capable of procuring our own food so we rely on others, often our parents or other family members for gifts of nourishment. For many, even after we no longer need to be given food to survive, we find comfort, joy, and peace from receiving food.

The sharing of food takes all different forms. In some traditions everyone eats from one pot. In others, no utensils are used and food is picked up with small pieces of flatbread. Perhaps take a moment to think about the sharing of food. How might you use your creative spirit to further enjoy the sharing of food? How does the place you are eating, the dishes and utensils used, whom you eating with, and the food itself influence the sharing of that food? For example, eating upright at a table using the proper fork is formal, while consensually putting a piece of food into another person’s mouth is a rather intimate act.

Food and love

When I bring this topic up in the classroom, the conversation invariably starts with someone talking about his or her grandmother and the fabulous feasts she prepares for the entire family. My Nana and Pap were farmers. Nana made most everything from scratch using the main ingredients from food she and Pap grew. Noodles, mashed potatoes, pickled eggs, biscuits, sweet pickles, icebox cookies, grape and other fruit pies, and corn—glorious Pennsylvania summer corn. In the summer we’d have corn at nearly every supper and Nana would steam up 3 to 4 ears per person at the table. When a bunch of family was in, that resulted in a literal mountain of cobs on a platter. Of course, she and some others only ate one ear each so that left an inordinate number of ears to be eaten by the corn enthusiasts in order to avoid disappointing the chef. Also, each of us grandkids had our favorite sweet treat—Nana would make them all. I would always have a tin of date nut icebox cookies to take home with me when I left.

Yummy kale salad

The ritual of the family meal—however it manifests—is an important one. Gathering together to share food and stories from one’s lives has been shown even by researchers to result in physical, emotional, and behavioral health benefits. But for anyone who partakes in that ritual, its importance need not be documented. Many of my favorite conversations in my life have taken place over food carefully prepared by or for me. A meal eaten sitting down intentionally with others provides an opportunity to slow down, look each other in the eye, and commune while nourishing ourselves.

Celebrations and other gatherings

I love thanksgiving. It’s a holiday that is truly about expressing joy over the bounty of the earth, giving thanks for the earth’s gifts and one’s good fortune and, of course, central to the holiday is the sharing of a magnificent meal. Indeed, most life transitions are marked with the sharing of celebratory or ritual food—births, birthdays, coming of age gatherings, graduations, retirements, even deaths. We often use these occasions to reconnect with our families and celebrate each others lives. Most of these occasions have specific food traditions (at least within families) associated with them.

Gathering around food is used to make friends and to help build community. My friend Joe is a master at hosting events designed to get people with common interests together. He organizes dinners out, monthly potlucks, and family gatherings for vegetarians where he lives and has done a remarkable job of building community among like-minded individuals in his area. Similarly, church or fellowship meet and greet events, such as the “Eat, drink, and be merry” dish-to-pass suppers at a local church are a great way for newcomers and longtime community members to get to know one another.

Dips and pita

Preparing Spanakopita

This day of giving thanks I am at my brother and sister-in-law’s home in NC. Lori, Sophie and I spent yesterday prepping and today the first (brunch meal) is on the table and deliciously nourishing the guests. (see dips and pita chips image)The main feature of this meal is a delicious mushroom and spinach spanakopita dish. (see before and after photos) I think I have had 3 portions.

Spanakopita

We’ll be gearing up in a couple of hours for the main evening meal for about 30 people. It is an amazing spread with every manner of vegetable included! I had a bit of time this morning to play with some leftover ingredients. And I came up with the sweet and sour carrot recipe included below.

The offering of a healthy delicious meal is a gift of magnificent proportions. In part because the energy and intention the maker puts into the food is eaten. A meal lovingly prepared, nourishes the person consuming it well beyond its nutritional value. Today I am grateful for the gifts my brother and Lori are offering to all of us.

In the spirit of thanksgiving, Amy

Sweet and Sour Carrots

Sweet and Sour Carrots

6 cups sliced carrots

3 cups of pineapple juice

½ jalapeno, seeded and minced

¾ cups fresh cranberries, minced

1 slice of candied ginger or 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, minced

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Wash clean and slice carrots into coins. Boil until soft. Put pineapple juice into a sauce pan and simmer until reduced to ½ the original volume.  Stir cornstarch into a teaspoon or two of water. Add to pineapple juice and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens. Mix together minced jalapeno, minced ginger and minced cranberries.