This article was eye-opening and challenging to my mind (and stomach). Here is an excerpt:

We ought to start by looking at the great food cultures of the world. The traditional cuisines of Asia and North Africa, not to mention France and Italy, are based on rice, wheat, spices and smatterings of all cuts of meat. In just about every other cuisine, protein plays second fiddle to grains and vegetables. When meat appears, it does so modestly; it takes up less space on the plate, and more often than not it’s a piece of the animal–tripe or oxtail–that Americans so willingly discard.

Yes, I have caught the culinary bug, as I’ve realized that I am leaving the nest of adolescence and venturing into the beautiful chaos of adulthood. Within that chaos, preparing meals serves as a palpable reminder of our roles and capacities as creators–who are wonderfully and fearfully made in image of the Creator.

I wonder though, what does “create” really mean, anyway? As I’m getting older–and not that I’m very old to speak with much authority–I’m realizing that the simpler questions are the most important ones to pose and poke at, over and over again. Even after probing and re-probing, these questions remain slippery in our hands. So, back to the question on our hands right now: what does “create” mean? I checked the etymology of “creation” and came up with an awesome Old English word: frumsceaft. The word breaks down into fruma and sceaft, which mean “beginning” and “created (shaped) thing,” respectively. Maybe we can say, then, that to “create” something is to shape a thing from its beginning, whether that beginning is a diagram, an instruction manual, or a recipe.

I’ll stick to food, since it kick-started my thought stream here. As you might have read in my previous entry, I recently prepared this yummy, cheesey bread. I took great joy in making it, as I realized how gratifying it is to mix ingredients with your hands, to feel them course in and around your fingers (wet batter is best for this). I would dare say that every act of creation, especially food creation, can be a form of worship. After all,  we make food  for the express purpose of it being enjoyed in community (Who wants to cook and eat alone?!).

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that God, as Trinity,  represents a beautiful picture of  joyful communion, and Who invites us to partake in an eternal love feast. I wonder what will be on the menu…

While at home, I have been delving a little bit into cooking and baking. Today I made peppered cheese bread, using a recipe found in the Delights and Comforts section of the June print issue of Comment. Here’s how it came out!