The Art of Mind Cuisine: Chef and Baker, Educator and Listener

Appetites are personal. What is delicious to one person might be avoided by another. The delicacies of some very well might be a revulsion of others. Some of us have a sweet tooth- we crave the sugary goodness of dessert. Some diet, others treat themselves to salty snacks or comfort food. Eating is both a necessity and a gift. The choices are innumerable and for that- we as humans are truly blessed.

Nutrition and desire come hand and hand. We have to eat to gain energy for our bodily functions- but we have the art of cooking and the familial, communicative process of dining- embedded in most parts of our lives. We go out, we order in. Uber eats and other delivery services are at out beck and call. So many industries are agriculture, service and delivery based these days- we can literally get any type of food we desire on our door step in a matter of hours. 

If its edible, we have found a way to prepare it. Whether or not its delicious is another story- but if its palatable and has nutritional value- someone eats it. This is the sensory gift we have been given- the aroma of grandma's chicken noodle soup, the spice filled burn of curry, the icy cold soothe of a smoothie or ice cream sundae. It is a cornucopia of emotions that follow us when we dine. When we chop, shred, puree'. It connects us to something much deeper than calories- it creates communities, strengthens family ties and opens up conversations- food is a universal gatherer.

Learning, education- classroom interaction, collaboration- the joy of new ideas and trying out our new knowledge- this is also universal. Unification of the mind. Contentedness of the spirit. Our appetites are peaked and filled. Our hunger satiated.

Learning is another universal gatherer. It sparks debates. Roars to life awareness and opinion. When people discuss and reason responses- it leads to change and progress. Yet sometimes- arguments erupt. Divides widen. We have to taste the gambit to find what we crave and enjoy.

But when learning is welcomed- points of view shift slightly- regardless of stance. When we listen, we acquire the calories our brains need to make informed decisions. To continue to be a force of energy for others. As educators, we can broaden minds to try new things. We offer seating in 5 star restaurants- each individually designed for our students.

I have always made my children try new foods. Take a 'no thank you' bite. If they do not appreciate it, then at least they tried it. Food, if used to open minds and experience new sensations, can bring to the forefront different cultures, different styles of cuisine, different mind sets. If one is willing to take that bite, experience a new flavor, taste a new spice- then maybe it will open them up to hearing new thoughts, listening to new points of view, broaden their mindscape.

Choosing a cut of meat that is tender, or an aged bottle of wine, or a perfect dining experience is personal. We have everything from lamb shanks to top sirloin - hamburger to filet- and that is why menus are extensive. To allow patrons to pick their cut of meat. To go to a dining establishment that they crave. 

We can then take the worst cut and make it delicious through brazing or slow roasting. This is where choice and skill merge. If we over cook it or burn it, it loses its flavor- it becomes tough and for many unpalatable. But if we take the time to ease it into a delicious morsel- it is well worth the wait. Letting lessons linger- sit on the edge for a bit- this creates intrigue, suspense- and in the end quite a tasty meal.

So we do not just have to choose our cut and our temperature, we also need to prepare it, pay attention to it, serve it . As educators we sear, grill and barbeque. We take lessons and prepare them in different ways, we serve them up with various side dishes, we flavor them either minimally or vigorously- depending on need. But the academic needs of our students varies as much as their appetites. It can be challenging to choose the right condiments and accoutrements to entice their attention.

But every day we slice, we chop, we sear and braise and our students- they may not say yum, or this is delicious but we can tell they are enjoying the meal by their faces. By their interactions, by their smiles. Food and learning intertwined, universal and personal. Chefs, educators might be in the kitchen preparing- but the experience, the dialogue and dinner conversation- that is up to them.

Be Curious, Not Judgmental

The thing about learning- student or teacher- is that it has to accompany curiosity. Learning is not about reinforcing or cementing your knowledge and beliefs, it is about expanding them. It is about looking for ways to view and understand the world differently. For when we can see opinions, points of view and alternate ideas as keepsakes- we create a forum of treasure, not a box for valuables.

It is difficult to admit an error in judgment. A mistake we made during a time when things were different. When values and beliefs were structured around different norms. But in order to grow and change- become better people- we must. We must not linger and carry more regret than optimism. We must see the rust and erosional forces of yesterday- feel its heft and figure out what went wrong. Weathering is inevitable, erosion is inevitable, deposition is dependent on the forces of open-mindedness, acceptance and the unrelenting push for betterment.

It is challenging to accept our place amongst the atrocities of the past. We were not directly responsible, but our advantages have made things easier for us. At least some of us. Our lives are not easier in all respects. They are not simple or full of handouts or ease. We have our own struggles. No one is immune from struggle. But some, they take the brunt of that force. We must look for opportunities to lessen their burden.

Curiosity helps us see the past and our need for change. It helps us see how we can become better and help others to do the same. We need to look for the opportunities to do so. Yet, we do not have to be less ourselves. We need to own the past and also continue to change the future. We are all human. We are all integrated and connected. We hurt, we elevate, we ignore. But we also listen and urge moments of uprising and shifts that lead the deposition to a new location. 

Judgement comes from fear. We do not need to fear deposition and erosion. They lead to the most beautiful gorges, riverbeds and beaches. They shape the Earth. And as humans our weathering, erosion and deposition are how we evolve. It is how we alter the course of behavior. Cultures shift and personalities adjust- when we are ready for them to. It may take longer for some- there will be push back. But it is inevitable- change and force and energy. 

Curiosity is the force that allows us to ponder- wonder- make big connections of things we may have avoided. But when we do- things get turbulent. But turbulence means people are noticing. They are becoming more aware. The biggest changes are yours alone. We can not make anyone change their mind. It is a choice. But if we refuse to be negative for long, we focus on the power of positive voices not toxic ones, and seek commonality- just maybe curiosity will win over judgment.

The Frozen Week of Ice and Storm

The sad thing is, they knew it was coming. It wasn't a secret, no one even tried to sugar coat it. We were going to get a hard freeze, the coldest temperature the Houston area has seen for 100 years- give or take. I am not a Texan and I have lived in the frigid winters of Colorado, Boston and Atlanta- so I wasn't too worried. But, I knew it was going to be a difficult situation for Houstonians, as most residents here, have never experienced this type of storm.

So I hunkered. I bundled up. I wrapped my pipes and put towels under the drafty doors to hold in the heat. I stocked up on water and food. I felt prepared- enough. But, I wasn't. The temperatures plummeted, the roads froze solid. Trees fell over. Snow covered the surfaces- but this time it stuck and multiplied and then froze again. This of course being normal for many parts of the country. But for southern Texas- the coast of Texas- it was unheard of. Now we have had snow- light dustings. We have had hail and sleet. Just not this much at one time and for this long.

So, we hunkered, We bundled. We expected our homes to stay warm and us nestled inside. But electricity disappeared. Our warmth and refrigeration disappeared. It got cold. Really cold in our homes. Then it didn't come back on when we were promised. Some people never lost power- others, like me- we lost it for 49 hours or more. Then our water shut off and we no longer had that either. We wrapped in blankets and huddled together. My family going two full days with out power and water.

Then our pipes burst and the ceiling in my bedroom, bathroom and part of our living room collapsed bringing in with it snow, ice and a deluge of water. And it came, and came, and came. We shut the water off to the house. But it kept coming. And as I stood in the cold house, trying to decide how to get the water out- our power came on. For two hours. Then we moved into a rolling black out. 

We called the city to have the water shut off at the main- but no answer. The next day- we got ahold of someone and they shut off the water at the city level to our house. As I stood in 2 inches of water in my living room- it was shocking. As I went back into my bedroom it was covered in insulation and mud: my bed, my floor, almost everything in the room. I rushed around to save my books- I am a bibliophile and have a lot of books. I saved all but three. Not bad for a frozen toed, soaking wet, stressed out woman.

I just keep telling myself- its just stuff. I saved my precious stuff. AND the rest, its just items. So many people came to my rescue- I have donations galore of furniture and beyond. I am rebuilding. I have lived in a hotel for awhile, but the house is getting cleaned and sterilized. Hopefully at least temporarily for a few months we can reside in our home. All our belongings are stored in the garage so it will be easy to just resettle there, for now, until the end of the school year.

It has been a few weeks of turmoil- but we are all safe. We have power and water, where many do not. We have a bed and warm place to sleep. We have a generous and kind community here locally and globally. We are blessed. This just being an ice cycle, a jagged stalactite that fell and gave us a gash. But it melted and we are on steady ground now. Thank you to my family, my parents, my community everywhere. I am so appreciative of your well wishes and donations.

Thank you. Stay safe and warm everyone.