Look! A new book!
We had a very low-key Valentine’s Day this year. No cards, but TJ and I did go to Barnes and Noble one night and look at the Valentine’s cards and try to pick out the ones we would have bought for one another. That was a fun thing to do that I think is quite sustainable for future holidays. No gifts either, except for something small that TJ bought for me. On the morning of Valentine’s Day, TJ told me to go look on the big bookcase from IKEA for my gift. Right away, I knew it had to be a book and within seconds, I had found it. What TJ doesn’t realize is that I stand in front of the bookcase often, just looking at all our books, so when a new one (especially one with a bright green cover) appears, I’m sure to find it.
The book is called Simply in Season, and I love it! My friend Hannah has mentioned this book several times in posts she has written on her blog, which is how I first found out about it. I also recently ordered a copy of the book to give to my friend Amber for her birthday because I know she loves eating good local food and it just seemed like a book she’d like, but I also secretly wanted to check out the book for myself to see if I’d truly want my own copy. TJ must have heard me say I did!
The book is really a book of recipes but with lots of interesting commentary throughout on not only the recipes themselves, but on the bigger picture of eating in a way where everything belongs, meaning good for us, for those who grow our food, and for the earth itself. Isn’t that all the rage these days? But this book isn’t faddish at all. The title really is most appropriate. It’s about eating simple meals, whole foods, what’s in season, and what’s local, and appreciating God for all of it.
Today I was flipping through the Winter Recipes section and found myself going over a Sweet Potato Soup recipe a few times. It looks like something I want to try. What caught me even more, though, was the short essay at the bottom of the page. I feel like these few paragraphs really capture the essence of the book, and the essence of what I want my family’s eating to be about. I like how there is room for imperfection and growth and how we can “celebrate with gusto” what we are given to enjoy. I am typing it out to share with you here, now:
“Cherish that sweet potato”
If I had to put what I believe about food and the environment into two words of advice, I would say this: Celebrate hope.
If you can find a farm, a market, a store where you can see that love for the earth and for future generations is a priority, sell all that you have and buy their food. If you can find friendly faces in your local food system who are willing to go beyond public relations and discuss tough questions, hug them! If you can smell the Spirit of God on their sweet potatoes, buy 20 pounds! Eat these potatoes with gusto, thanking God that someone, somewhere had a vision.
You are not consistent in all areas of your life? Lord have mercy on you, a sinner: act on one little thing you know. You can only afford one holy sweet potato and the rest is boxed macaroni and cheese? Act on what you can afford. You will love that sweet potato and the earth that grew it even more.
-Jennifer Schrock
