Three Cups of Tea Review

Three Cups of Tea not only sheds light on the need for education in Pakistan, but also on how it’s done. That’s why it’s worth the read. It’s not a book that tells you all the reasons why something needs to be changed. It doesn’t leave you with the excitement to do something but no idea how. It instead shows you the work being done to make the situation better.

What pulls you in is the way the book isn’t a how-to though. It’s sharing inspiration. Greg Mortenson is a humble man with no idea on how to raise money to build a school. He lives in his car and works night shifts at hospitals. He doesn’t know how to use a computer and he believes uninspired celebrities will give him all the funds he needs.

This ethnography isn’t a stagnant, this is how easy it was, success story. The plot thickens so often because real life happens. There’s no gloss over his dirt stained, dusty shalwar. The book shows the real work that goes in to not only building schools in Pakistan but also the roadblocks that get in the way and the relationships created to overcome them.

An Update

This is a letter to my husband updating him on my Third Year Writing Project:

Dear Hubs,

I can't wait to see you at home this afternoon! What should I make for dinner? You probably don't know what you want. That's ok.

Speaking of food though, can I just tell you how I'm feeling about this third year writing project? I'm having a lot of fun. I feel like I have a lot of ideas and I'm ready to put them in to action. I talked to Krater the other day and she inspired me to press forward in finding out why people involve food in hospitality. I also want to talk to Julie. She's such a lovely lady. What chef should I talk to? What about someone from The Copper Kettle? They have home style food.

At the end of the project I also have to do something digitally related. How fun! Since we'll have the ipad I'll be able to use that to video some cooking. Maybe I can do a 2 or 3 minute video of all the people I talked to cooking and them saying why they love to, sort of a promotional kind of thing for the paper.

I also want to incorporate my Simple Feast blog posts, like the one about Mahi Mahi. Because it's my personal experience with food and what happens when I cook at home.

What do you think? Your input means so much to me. I respect your opinions. I think you're so intelligent.

I love you,
Your Wife

Why Kristin Cooks

Kristin Childress has always cooked, but her love for the craft really bloomed once she lived on her own. She focuses on incorporating healthy ingredients into traditionally sugary treats, like brownies. Think sweet potatoes with cinnamon and less flour, sugar, eggs and oil.

But, there’s a further reason behind her love for cooking: hospitality.

“It’s just kind of a part of cultural history. You can go back way in the day and it’s a huge sign of you’re welcome here.”

She notes how relaxed people can get when you tell them to sit down and you offer them some food. The conversation changes instantly.

“It’s fun because you’re enjoying things God has given us. You’re enjoying that together.”

Kristin quickly shows how complex home cooking is. There are health reasons to eat and cook certain types of food. But, the same thing that sustains us is also a mode of conversation and comfort.

An Interview with Kristin

I interviewed my friend Kristin. She loves to incorporate healthier options into her cooking and baking. Home cooking to her is not only an easy way to watch what she eats but also a form of hospitality. Here are some quotes from our interview:

I really like making baked goods because everyone loves them and you can really be creative with them and try different types of recipes.

I also love being hospitable. I love having people over and I think a big part of that is cooking for them.

Just in general, fresh ingredients are always healthier, especially when you’re working with vegetables and fruits. You can choose or substitute healthier things.

It’s just kind of a part of cultural history. You can go back way in the day and it’s a huge sign of you’re welcome here.

Food is how we sustain our bodies. It’s a sign of you’re welcome.

It’s fun because you’re enjoying things God has given us. You’re enjoying that together.

A Map to Food

This is a map of my kitchen. Everyone who cooks needs a place to do so. My kitchen has all of the utensils, appliances, ingredients and space (however limited) I need to prepare delicious meals. I have tried to label as many important areas in my kitchen as possible.

Recipes & Ingredients - Lists

While cooking at home you first have to have a type of food you’d like to make – a list of food genres. Are you in the mood for Asian, Southern or Italian food? You have recipes, within that, a list of ingredients and then a list of measurements. [Only talk about ingredients at this point. Save measurements for later] Some of these ingredients are always there. Muffins will always have flour. Icing will always have sugar. Then there are the variations of ingredients, personal touches. There may be orange zest added to a cake or capers to a dish of pasta with lemon butter sauce. [Measurements] When the relaxing task of home cooking now has numbers and detailed lists added to it you realize the artist also has to be a mathematician. An interesting idea and almost hard to agree with, that the abstract can be combined with the concrete.

A Practice in Revision

This is some free writing I did on an oven - a necessary item for home cooking.

An oven - it's the meeting point for chefs and bakers. It's a necessity. Most often you can't make much without one. Sure, you could cook without one, but it's much easier to accomplish more with one. If you don't have one you could have a cold sandwich. But, where did the bread come from? Where was it baked? An oven. You could survive on raw vegetables, and they would be good and nutritious. But, just think how you could enhance them with the stovetop? Sauteed. Boiled. Set around a roast. To go above and beyond with food and its flavors an oven is a necessary item. It is a gateway. A bridge to aroma, to taste. When crossed it is delightful.

Here is my revision...

An oven - the meeting point for chefs and bakers. It's a necessity. Most often you can't make much without one. Sure you could still eat, but you can accomplish so much more if there's one in the room. You could make a cold sandwich, but where did the bread come from? Where was it baked? An oven. You could survive on raw vegetables and they would be good and nutritious. But, just think how you could enhance them with a stovetop? Sauteed, boiled, set around a roast, to go above and beyond with food and its flavors an oven is a necessary item. It is a gateway, a bridge to aroma and taste. And, when crossed it is delightful.