The Nourishing Arts. Ch. 10

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Growing up, my mother instilled in me the importance of cooking and having family meals. This of course was impressed on her by her mother. Family meals were the center of every evening. Many women identify as being the lead food preparer in their household. This becomes second nature but also establishes a specific gender role in the household. As I grew older, I had a similar experience to the author of The Nourishing Arts. I had never realized that I never was hungry or even had to worry about food portions until I was living on my own. It brought about a new awareness that I did not have before.

The journey in learning the basics of cooking to finding a true delight in being inventive in the combination and manipulation of a recipe has taken me a minute. Most of the best dishes that I have ever created have been specifically engineered for my last minute dinner guests usually when I am missing a key ingredient or two. The true challenge has been cooking for my two juvenile picky eaters. I am a single mother, so the cooking responsibilities lie in my hands. As a mother, the expectation is that I carry out my “woman’s work” duties. Of course, these are duties that bring me joy. Nothing makes me happier than one of my kids enjoying something that I make for them.

My concentration these days is balancing the proteins (plant-based) we eat while balancing our different needs for fats and carbohydrates (I’ve never met a carb I didn’t like!). This of course provides vitamins, minerals, and both amino and fatty acids to nourish our bodies. I try to pay attention including lots of high fiber oatmeal and cereals and less refined white bread in our diets. The Nourishing Arts points out a “growing frequency of cancers and disorders of the intestines seems to be in direct correlation with the impoverishment of diets rich in cellulose and vegetable fiber”. I genuinely pride myself on providing my family with healthy meals. The importance of a healthy immune system is more important than ever. It starts with the foods that we put in our bodies, every day.

De Certeau, M., & Giard, L. (2019). The Nourishing Arts. In C. Counihan & P. V. Esterik (Authors), Food and culture: A reader (pp. 151-162). New York and London: Routledge.