Inspired Beginnings: Ambesha (Ethiopia)

Last week my son Ian requested I make "Ethiopia bread," formally Ambesha, which is a spicy tea bread about two inches thick and topped with butter and berbere. On the surface, a simple, tasty request, easily done over the course of a morning. But really, this bread was about much more. This summer my son has developed an intense interest in Ethiopia, his country of birth. He talks of Ethiopia daily, asks questions about his Ethiopian family, imagines life there, and asks for the flavors that connect him to his history. The bread is about a place that exists in his very soul, that he remembers on an instinctual level.

Last week also marked the first time we took our younger son, Sukris, to a Thai restaurant since he joined our family four months ago. Suki dived into his satay chicken and peanut sauce with such enthusiasm, that I just had to ask if he had eaten this same meal in Thailand. His answer was a resounding yes, with the surprising addition that the elephants there also eat this, too! Even though he is not yet grasping the English to request his favorite meals, Suki shares the same need as his brother to connect with his history, which is much more recent and present in his little mind and heart. He may not have the words yet, but we can provide him with the experiences to meet his needs.

For our family, food is about much more than eating. We share meals daily as a means to connect and maintain open lines of communication. Food is also a connection to culture, history, tradition and more. My husband and I have a shared history of family dinners and seek to continue the tradition with our boys, honoring their pasts and expanding their worlds as we do.

Since that morning I baked the Ambesha, the cookbook with the recipe has been sitting on my counter, beckoning me to flip through the pages and imagine the flavors. It is one of my favorites, given to me by my stepmother several years ago. Extending the Table is a cookbook commissioned by the Menonite Central Community to "promote global understanding and celebrate the variety of world cultures." With over 100 countries and regions represented in its recipes, the book urges the cook to "sit at the table with people you have never met, taste the flavors of their food, feel the warmth of their friendship and learn from their experiences." I am taking their challenge to heart and will be doing my best to cook one recipe a week from the book for the forseeable future. That challenge will be recorded here.

This blog is about our family's edible journey to not only connect with the cultures within our transracial exisitence, but to be global citizens. I am inviting you as readers to sit at our table as well.  My inspiration is Extending the Table, but will not be limited to just the food that comes from this book. I will not be reprinting recipes in the book in this blog. For recipes, go ahead and buy the book! Start your own journey, and check in with me about how it goes. Bon Appetit!