The eggplant is a pretty divisive vegetable. For all the richness of its lushly purple skin, some can't get past the slimy texture. I happen to be pro-eggplant. I haven't had a lot of it my life, but the Crescent Moon Bakery, an Afgani restaurant in my neighborhood, has a Chef's Special pizza with eggplant as its primary topping that won me over. So I planted an eggplant in the garden this year, and this morning harvested the first beautiful veggie.
Tonight I made Salsa di Melanzane per Spahetti, a thick pasta sauce with the eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes, all from my garden. The description in Extending the Table declares this recipe as "a good way to introduce eggplants to skeptics" (194). There were no skeptics at our table tonight though, as we all dug into our penne, sauce and mozzarella.
I like the idea of certain eaters as skeptics. It's not a bad thing to question what we eat or how it might taste. It is especially important to question where our food comes from and how it gets to our table. I even think we should be skeptical about what we consider food. Just one page prior to this recipe, there is an anecdote that explains that North Americans tend to believe that anything one can eat is indeed food, while Ugandans only label those very necessary staples of the diet as food (192).
The reasons why I garden are many. It's fun. The produce just tastes better. It costs less to produce our own foods, which we eat all year. And there is an ethical reason as well lurking in the leaves. When we blindly grab a box from the shelf or a bushel from the produce aisle, without questioning ingredients or origins, we risk perpetuating unhealthy and destructive practices across the globe, ones that disregard fair trade practices, environmental health, and the humane treatment of animals.
Before I get all Michael Pollan here, I am not a perfect eater. But I am willing to indulge my inner skeptic if means an occasional eggplant or two.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Torta de Zapallitos (Argentina) vs. Kima Curry (Kenya)
This last week has been about back to basics for us. Our summer has been a joyfully busy affair with family, camping, celebrations, getaways and more. Our pace has slowed in (very) recent days though and it has been about gardening, bug catching, sand-box exploration and soccer against Mom in the backyard. And a couple days ago, I made Torta de Zapallitos, a green squash bake, with zucchini from the garden. Fresh zucchini is delicious, but this dish was...not good. What looked like a delight of bubbly cheese and egg on the surface was a runny, undercooked mess beneath.
That wasn't far from the truth for the family either. For all the fun of our summer days, those days have also been about whining, tattling, bickering and the occasional shove or two. So, back to basics...
The number one rule in our family is to Be Kind. Be kind to each other in how we play, how we ask, how we resolve conflict, and how we handle property. And we've needed some reminders of this lately, as do most people on occasion. Swinging a bucket at your brother's head: not kind. Using words to express your frustration: kind (when they are not screamed in each other's faces;).
Regardless of however many reminders we may need, I am extremely proud of how my boys take their understanding of kindness out into the world. Just today at the gas station, Ian asked me to pull up to another vehicle so we could tell the man pumping gas that he had dropped something under his car. Simple kindness. As we continue to talk as a family about the orange signs around town urging us all to VOTE NO against the proposed marriage amendment signs, Ian has also summed up the issue for his brother in the wise words of a child, "Voting No is kind, Suki. Voting yes is not kind."
When I served up the mushy, runny egg and zucchini disaster to my family, they didn't complain. They ate the bits they could and accepted my offering of crackers, cheese and humus with grace. They were kind even as I was beating myself up about the failure. Tonight, I redeemed myself for the sake of my own pride with Kima Curry, a ground beef curry with ginger and cinnamon. They were just as kind with a dish they happily devoured, declaring it "Super yummy!"
Even mom needs a little kindness sometimes. Oh, how proud I am of those boys.
That wasn't far from the truth for the family either. For all the fun of our summer days, those days have also been about whining, tattling, bickering and the occasional shove or two. So, back to basics...
The number one rule in our family is to Be Kind. Be kind to each other in how we play, how we ask, how we resolve conflict, and how we handle property. And we've needed some reminders of this lately, as do most people on occasion. Swinging a bucket at your brother's head: not kind. Using words to express your frustration: kind (when they are not screamed in each other's faces;).
Regardless of however many reminders we may need, I am extremely proud of how my boys take their understanding of kindness out into the world. Just today at the gas station, Ian asked me to pull up to another vehicle so we could tell the man pumping gas that he had dropped something under his car. Simple kindness. As we continue to talk as a family about the orange signs around town urging us all to VOTE NO against the proposed marriage amendment signs, Ian has also summed up the issue for his brother in the wise words of a child, "Voting No is kind, Suki. Voting yes is not kind."
When I served up the mushy, runny egg and zucchini disaster to my family, they didn't complain. They ate the bits they could and accepted my offering of crackers, cheese and humus with grace. They were kind even as I was beating myself up about the failure. Tonight, I redeemed myself for the sake of my own pride with Kima Curry, a ground beef curry with ginger and cinnamon. They were just as kind with a dish they happily devoured, declaring it "Super yummy!"
Even mom needs a little kindness sometimes. Oh, how proud I am of those boys.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
EKC Mehaber 2012
Today I took the boys the to pool. It has been hot and muggy, and the free wading pool a couple blocks away is one of our favorite spots to cool down. I also love this park because more often than not, I am the only visible white person. My kids are just two in a swirling blend of beautiful brown skin splashing and kicking through the water.
But kids being curious little sponges ask questions. Questions like,' is that your mom' or 'is he your brother'. My guys take it stride with a quick 'yeah,' though the 'duh, who else would she/he be' is implied;) Most kids leave it at that and onward they swim.
It's little moments like this that make a day like yesterday was one of my favorite days of the year. I have quite a few favorite days to be sure, but this July 14th was special as it marked the Ethiopian Kids Community's summer Mehaber, an event that draws families from across not only the Twin Cities, but from across the country to the State Fair grounds to celebrate Ethiopia and the Ethiopians that we love.
What makes this event so unique and special is that all the families there are similar to ours! No one asks questions about who belongs to whom because everyone belongs in this community where love and commitment and culture matter the most. One of my favorite moments of the day was wandering past the stage where traditional Ethiopian music was playing and a sea of kids, some brothers and sisters, some friends from this continent or another, some tiny, some big, just dancing to a rhythm connecting them all.
The adoption process can be very lonely and isolating at times. Being a parent to kids who were adopted brings with it challenges that other parents don't always understand or even recognize. But adoption is also a joy that I don't know how to describe. I guess you'd just have to be there.
But kids being curious little sponges ask questions. Questions like,' is that your mom' or 'is he your brother'. My guys take it stride with a quick 'yeah,' though the 'duh, who else would she/he be' is implied;) Most kids leave it at that and onward they swim.
It's little moments like this that make a day like yesterday was one of my favorite days of the year. I have quite a few favorite days to be sure, but this July 14th was special as it marked the Ethiopian Kids Community's summer Mehaber, an event that draws families from across not only the Twin Cities, but from across the country to the State Fair grounds to celebrate Ethiopia and the Ethiopians that we love.
What makes this event so unique and special is that all the families there are similar to ours! No one asks questions about who belongs to whom because everyone belongs in this community where love and commitment and culture matter the most. One of my favorite moments of the day was wandering past the stage where traditional Ethiopian music was playing and a sea of kids, some brothers and sisters, some friends from this continent or another, some tiny, some big, just dancing to a rhythm connecting them all.
The adoption process can be very lonely and isolating at times. Being a parent to kids who were adopted brings with it challenges that other parents don't always understand or even recognize. But adoption is also a joy that I don't know how to describe. I guess you'd just have to be there.
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