Book 91 - A Year of Magical Learning

Reflection Title – Patience + Presence = Transformation

Book – Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollen

Book Description: In Cooked, Pollan discovers the enduring power of the four classical elements—fire, water, air, and earth—to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink. Apprenticing himself to a succession of culinary masters, Pollan learns how to grill with fire, cook with liquid, bake bread, and ferment everything from cheese to beer. Each section of Cooked tracks Pollan’s effort to master a single classic recipe using one of the four elements. A North Carolina barbecue pit master tutors him in the primal magic of fire; a Chez Panisse–trained cook schools him in the art of braising; a celebrated baker teaches him how air transforms grain and water into a fragrant loaf of bread; and finally, several mad-genius “fermentos” (a tribe that includes brewers, cheese makers, and all kinds of picklers) reveal how fungi and bacteria can perform the most amazing alchemies of all. The reader learns alongside Pollan, but the lessons move beyond the practical to become an investigation of how cooking involves us in a web of social and ecological relationships. Cooking, above all, connects us.

Reflection:

What a great book!!! I think this one easily slides into my top 10-15 books I’ve ever read after finishing it. Not only was it incredibly entertaining, I also learned an insane amount about the origins of cooking, the science of cooking, and the importance it plays in our culture. We are always in a fight for attention these days, and for me, cooking has been losing that battle for the past 10-15 years of my life. This book has made me want to give some of my attention back to the kitchen in my life as a way to reconnecting with something that makes us uniquely human.

I come from a family of chefs and experts in the kitchen. My family has a famous Italian restaurant here in Indianapolis that is now in its 4th generation of family ownership after being started by my Great, Great, Grandparents in the 1930’s. I also have an uncle that own a small diner, and another that started a banquet hall chain. Even though I have nothing to do with any of these things, it has always been an immense source of personal pride to me. I’m proud to say that my family has been creating magical food for others to share for almost a century…that is pretty cool when you think about it.

For me, I got to grow up eating this amazing food prepared by all these amazing cooks. No surprise, food was always an incredibly important part of every family gathering growing up in my life. My great grandmother’s sauce was always the star of the show that brought the family together time and time again on Sunday after church. Once my great grandmother passed away, the tradition of getting together to enjoy a slow cooked meal every weekend passed away with her. Without the food to bring everyone together, the family drifted apart. Turns out, food was always the connector that kept us together.

A few years ago, I asked my Mom to bring this tradition back. She said that sounded like a great idea and she’d love to take on the duty of making the famous Iaria’s sauce and inviting everyone over to indulge on a random Sunday. She busted out the same big pot that my Great Grandma used to use and spent all day preparing the famous sauce and meatballs to smother over a plate of pasta. I never saw my Great Grandma actually make this amazing sauce, so I really had no idea how much time went into all of this. Apparently, a lot went it making this sauce a reality, and it was an all-day labor of love to produce this delicious meal.

Once the sauce was ready, a lot of the family came over and WE ATE! The food was fantastic, and it seemed like everyone really enjoyed the day. So much so that we agreed to try and keep this tradition alive more regularly, and we have. There was no birthday, graduation, marriage, first communion, etc that was being celebrated. It was just a normal Sunday afternoon. You could come if you want or not. No rules. No obligations. Just come, eat, and enjoy time with your family.

I’m thankful that my Mom agreed to donate her patience and presence to spend a day watching over this magical sauce to be able to transform our family once again into a family!!! Cooking can be powerful and amazing! Like cooking, anything that you give the proper time and attention to has the power to transform into something you never could have imagined if you step back and let nature do its thing.

Question: What areas of your life in which you are seeking transformation could use a little more time and attention?

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Links:

What is The Year of Magical Learning? An Introduction

YOML Podcast Discussion - Cooked

YOML Bookstore - Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollen