Presto, Pesto!

The ability to make fresh pesto from organic homegrown basil is incredible. Not many people resort for their own gardens for ingredients to make pesto. Instead, the super market pre-made pesto is the closest most people get to homemade pesto. However, many opt for the already made pesto from restaurants. All variations of pesto are going to taste great, but the store bought pesto lacks so much…the smell, the hard work and the satisfaction, along with the knowledge of knowing what has gone inside the pesto.

With my ‘Anthropology of Food’ course I had the pleasure of helping make pesto with freshly picked basil from the University of Washington farm. Myself, along with 5 others were able to make the pesto from a simple recipe, and it was by far, the best tasting pesto I have ever had. Making pesto from scratch was something I never had the opportunity to make before, and now, I would love to make it from scratch all the time. It was truly simple.

Take a bag full of freshly picked basil; add 3-4 garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts and salt. With a little spin in the blender, presto you’ve got pesto! It’s so simple and I encourage everyone to try it once. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get it done and be able to relish in your satisfaction of your home made organic pesto.

The Beauty of City Gardens

It’s amazing to think that in a city as large as Seattle gardens can flourish. My ‘Anthropology of Food’ class had the chance to explore the University of Washington area and view surrounding gardens. The garden plots aren’t large in comparison to large farms in flat lands down country roads. However, in a city such as Seattle, the idea that a garden can survive and supply food to people is truly amazing.

There is also the idea of the guerrilla gardens, which is by far a very progressive idea that will hopefully inspire more people. Earth conscious citizens began plotting plants and growing gardens outside of a sanctioned plotting area, to help grow awareness of the need to begin growing food locally and organically.

Both the guerrilla gardens and the p-pods (the plots of gardens within and around Seattle) are inspirational. They show people that changes can be made, big or small. That even in a large city such as Seattle, there is no excuse not to grow food organically. To utilize any open space for gardening and food is a far more productive action than to grow grass and weeds.

Gardens full of flowers are beautiful, but plants that can be used for food and aesthetic reasons are just as beautiful and add more to ones environment.

Garden Fresh

There is nothing as fresh as an open garden underneath the burning sun. The University of Washington farm is an escape from the bustle of a busy campus and a hide away from the stresses of a modern city. The farm encompasses a small amount of property developed by “rebel” students. I found that as I walked with my ‘Anthropology of Food’ class, I was overwhelmed with a sense of wanting to do something more. It never occurred to me how a simple garden could express so much.

The idea that modern gardens only include flowers and ground cover for beauty is becoming dated. With the growing concern of pesticides and poisons, garden has become another word for farm. I never realized how many beautiful colors grew from edible plants. Whenever I thought about a farm, I automatically assumed corn stalks and wheat fields. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw an elaborate array of colors and textures.

Knowing exactly where your food comes from and what has gone into it is a powerful notion. I am constantly worried about what other ingredients are going into the food I eat and the harmful effects they are going to have. I walked away from the University of Washington’s farm knowing that I can make a change, not only for myself, but the environment. The farm not only serves as a source of food, but a habitat for animals and a beautiful sight to see.

Love From an Obento Box

Japanese food culture is not as different from that of my experience living in the United States. Although the foods they consume may be different, many of the concepts remain the same. The idea behind a typical American style lunch from a mother or father to a child is to give them something they will enjoy and remind them that they are loved. The typical lunch box might include a PB&J sandwich, an apple and other little snacks. Lunch is usually a child’s favorite time of day, and the Japanese realized the importance of it as well.

The idea behind an obento box is a simple one, however, it is made more elaborate by the complexity of the individuals design. Japanese students worked extremely hard in school, and the obento boxes, typically made by the mothers, were a way to give the student a break from hard work and allow them the comforts of their own home with food that brightened their spirits. Many of the obento boxes are propaganda, designed like famous scholars, urging the students to continue to work hard in order to accomplish great things in life. Obento boxes are not always designed as propaganda, but are always made to remind the child at home that they are loved, and to give them a break from a hard day at school.

I had the opportunity to create an obento box for a loved one. Mine was a far cry than that of the Japanese culture, and although I would like to believe I have the talent or ability to create something as magnificent as an authentic Japanese obento box, I realize that will most likely never happen. I might not have had the artistic vision or patience one needs to create a prizewinning obento box, but I did have the right mind set. To create a meal that was fun, loving an enjoyable.

The design is simple; a nice rice man reaching his cucumber arms out to give a hug to the student to express a feeling of love and comfort coming from a friend. Obento boxes are masterful with ornate designs, but I hope that one day when I make lunches for my children, I can convey my love for them, even with a simple PB&J sandwich. I know that when I look back upon my elementary school days, I loved going to lunch and exploring all the great food my mom took the time to make for me.

When Food is More Than Just a Meal...

Throughout history, food has made the transition from just a necessity, to a form of expression and comfort. The idea that food is only there to keep one well nourished has become obsolete in many wealthy cultures and upper class living. It has become an art form, an expression of love, a cultural standard and overall, something extremely significant.

When I think of food, I usually don’t think of the nutrients in it, or that I have to eat it to live. Instead, I think of food in the sense of a way to communicate. The food itself reflects how much time and preparation went in to it, or the love that someone feels for another. It is also a way to talk over a meal and share emotions over something that both parties can enjoy, and has the ability to become a keepsake for memories.

There are many meals I can remember. The memories are mainly consumed with the remembrance of my moms home cooked meals, or the dinners with my family while I was growing up. However, as I started to get older, meals manifested into something way more than just a family meal, they transitioned into meals with other loved ones. I can remember so clearly the last meal I ever shared with my cousin Scott, and even though I can’t remember if the food was that great, his company was significant.

Café Felix is known for their amazing sweets and coffee drinks, but I will always remember Café Felix as the final meal with my cousin. It was a beautiful day on the bustling Main Street back home in Ann Arbor. I’m sure the food was great, but the company was really all I needed. It’s amazing though, how a year after Scott passed, every time I walk past the café, I am overcome with such amazing memories of the greatest meal with a loved one. The café has come to represent the love I have for my family, and how food has become one of the most sincere forms of communication and expression of love for another.

The Comforts of Home

August 22, 2007

Sarah’s Digest

The idea of not being home for months at a time is an exciting and terrifying notion. The comforts that I’ve come to expect from living at home with an amazing mom have, to a degree, come crashing down. No more laundry service, no car, and no more evening home cooked meals with the family. Although I truly do enjoy cooking for myself, there isn’t anything better than my moms amazing food and our occasional authentic German meals.

I’ve explored the campus dinning, and plan to do some further exploration throughout my time spent at the University of Washington. Contrary to popular belief, there is the ability to eat healthy and delicious meals. It just all comes down to choices. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to experience the comfort of my moms food, but for the time being, I plan on trying different ethnic foods unique to the West Coast and exploring as many healthy, comforting and different foods as possible.