Food Is Love

Keep Seren8y Spicy!

From Penzey’s

Many of you know that I am the chef behind the success of the Thursday Meals in the Arizona Desert. It was a logical choice.

KrisP, the other half of this team would happily live on Ramen and canned chicken. Occasionally, she treats herself to a packet of oatmeal and a syrup laden can of peaches. I'm not sure how she has lived to age 72.

Since she admits readily to having no cooking sense at all, it was natural that she took on the budget and fund raising. I am the cook. Only the cook.

We have eight more meals to prepare. KrisP thinks we can get through Febuary and March _if_ we are careful. Careful means minimal spending. Admittedly NOT my strong suit. I need to replace my favorite spices. They are purchased from an online store, not the local grocery.

Here's the problem, the BIG problem. I can humbly say my food is awesome because I choose high quality ingredients and flavoring. Our feedback says the food is amazing. KrisP says it's amazing too!

I come by this cooking with spices naturally. Years of living with women for whom food was a love language has honed my skill. The genes of the Cape Verdean Islands' women guide me still. Flavoring is as important as fresh food. Everyone appreciates the taste of love.

Except KrisP. Well, she loves the food _and_ she loves the budget. Not always an easy or equanimous position to hold.

She was raised in an income challenged family. Dinner was white rice or brown beans. Cooked in water. "Spices" were salt or pepper, butter, or cinnamon sugar. Breakfast was cornflakes. Sometimes with powdered milk.

So, when I raised the subject of needing to replace my seasonings, the conversation did not go the way I had hoped. It is true that I have a lot of jars and packets of spices, herbs, mushrooms and anything that can be dried. I cook world cuisine.

But. I honestly _do_ need to restock my favorite go-to items. I do like to cook with better ingredients. Though I have compromised many times with very select spice mixtures. Also, I did not order the linguiça I wanted from a store in MA and have it air shipped to us here in the desert. Along with B & M baked beans and brown bread. A truly New England Saturday Supper.

These folks we cook for deserve it. Sure, they could go spend more than seven dollars for a fast-food burger. But the message is not the same.

Our food says, "you are seen, you are survivors, you are worthy, you are strong and you are loved".

So, I made a list. The total cost was in the three figures. As the spices store well, they will be with us as we cook again next September.

KrisP silently got up from the table and walked away, munching a hand full of bite size tostitos, plain tostitos, sadly plain tostitos. Tostitos lacking the 'love' of a salsa, lacking a' hug' of sour cream, lacking a kiss of guacamole.

I'm turning to you. Some of you may understand. Flavor is love.

And...we need your help again. I agreed to make a fund raising post, KrisP agreed to let me go shopping at Penzey’s.

I'm going to ask you to SHARE this to your circles of influence. Of course, liking, restacking, and commenting will help also. To contribute, use the button below or the Venmo in the comments.

No bland food!

Love people, cook them tasty food! Thanks to Bill at Penzey’s.