A Kitchen Catalyst
Cooking is a valuable way to spend time doing something necessary and in current terms, essential. It can create strong bonds and lasting taste memories.
The easy-to-make classic French dessert “clafouti” is a must when cherries are in season. (Photo by Melissa McArdle)
There was no shortage of challenges thrown at us during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s reasonable to say in our lifetime we’ve never experienced such a devastating matter to deal with on our soil and in our homes. The adjustments families had to make as a result of business, office, and school closures caused immediate changes to daily routines and regular schedules.
When the shelter in place orders began it didn’t take me long to think how this was a great opportunity for us to do something positive toward the repair of America’s eating problem. Early in the pandemic it was declared certain health conditions exacerbated complications created by COVID-19. This included the pre-existing silent epidemics of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Individuals with these conditions became classified as vulnerable or compromised.
For decades numerous studies have shown these conditions can be prevented, mitigated, or thwarted in part by a proper diet, namely in the style of the Mediterranean region. Articles regularly appear in the news that point to the benefits from eating this way. If it takes something like COVID-19 to sound an alarm to those who are compromised, then the order to stay home was the time to make eating changes. It was also a perfect opportunity to help children understand and learn how to refrain from becoming a vulnerable individual.
Read also: The Mediterranean Diet | Culture | Lifestyle
Throughout the pandemic most of the messaging from the powers that be in government were almost silent when it came to eating better. “Wash your hands often.” “Maintain social distancing.” “Use sanitizer.” But not a lot of “Eat pure foods.” It wasn’t as if the grocery store shelves were completely empty. In fact, many wholesome items in the store were in regular supply— a result of a very efficient and functional food distribution system. And it’s nothing new changes in diet can quickly make a difference in building immunity or correcting one’s metabolism.
At the same time it was baffling to me the government pushed hard to keep the slaughterhouses and meat packing plants working during state-wide shut downs. It's plausible the influence of the commodity meat business had some say in the reasoning for the mandate. There’s also the continued demand and acceptance for cheap meat in food products. In addition to the ruthless and infectious working conditions in the plants, many of the products they fabricate end up in processed foods that may contribute to what diseases like COVID-19 thrive on: diabetes, obesity, hypertension, certain cancers, and lately research is showing dementia too.
“You look at the United States of America, with our epidemic of obesity as it were. With the number of people with hypertension. With the number of people with diabetes. If everyone got infected, the death toll would be enormous and totally unacceptable”
— DR. ANTHONY FAUCI in a CNN.com article by Faith Karimi, 14 August 2020
With families at home for much more time than usual, spending time in the kitchen offers more than the basic need to eat—it can create family traditions and rituals the same way we speak about what our grandmothers made for us on Sundays. In fact, there were grandmothers during the COVID-19 pandemic who were children during the Second World War. Now we had our own battle to deal with. The time was right to make a proper diet necessity and at the forefront of wellness.
I don’t have children but I do know they get bored, restless, and long for social interaction with their friends when cooped up at home for extended periods. This puts extra weight on parents in addition to the burdens of massive closures and irregular public health mandates.
About a month into the shelter in place order where I live there was an article in the local newspaper about universal issues families faced during the pandemic. It offered a variety of ways to solve them. But the article missed an extremely valuable solution. I couldn’t help but to respond vis-à-vis a letter to the editor. It got top billing in an edition soon thereafter.
“Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to the article in The Ark, “Experts: Parents should acknowledge fears, provide structure to help kids cope with coronavirus anxiety.”
There’s no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic is putting a wrench in the routines and comforts of everyday living. While the current shelter-in-place order requires families to manage an unfamiliar set of circumstances, the article made no mention how the rewards of cooking can be a wholesome diversion for parents and children.
Cooking is a valuable way to spend time doing something necessary and in current terms, essential. It can create strong bonds and lasting taste memories. Even if one is ambivalent toward cooking or doesn’t feel they know how, there are plenty of quick and accessible resources for inspiration and basic how-to information.
Pandemic or not, proper nourishment is vital to building a strong immunity and a preventative path for long-term health benefits. This in and of itself qualifies parents to be role models. The entire process from turning raw ingredients into finished dishes and spending time at the table provides structure and respite. There is math, science, geography, social studies, and home economics woven into making something to eat. Sheltering in place puts families together to do all of this.
Even with physical distancing we are fortunate there is easy access to ingredients. Although not as stocked as we’re used to, grocery stores have plenty on the shelves for us to choose from.
A crisis can be the genesis of learning and change. Throughout history and around the world there are infinite stories of family and food during challenging times. These are the building blocks of tradition.
The shelter in place order is a wonderful opportunity to maximize time at home by creating enriching experiences for parents and children that originate from a critical place absent in the article: the kitchen.”
In the magnificent animated film, Ratatouille one of the most important scenes is when the very tough restaurant critic comes to the famous restaurant in Paris that has a new young chef desperately trying to reinvent himself. The critic is skeptical and asks of the chef if he is able to show perspective in his food. The chef knows this is his make or break opportunity.
When the chef sends the critic a serving of ratatouille—a typical country French summer preparation of vegetables— all it takes is the critic’s first smell and taste that brings him to a joyous memory of his mother’s cooking at home. It unleashes what’s called an “associative craving” for something satisfying and comfortable from his childhood. From the moment this yearning surfaces everything changes for both the critic and the chef.
Not only can simple and wholesome food do wonders for our body, it’s great for our soul and can bring us to a very happy place. That’s why I couldn’t help to feel sheltering in place was a perfect occasion to steer ourselves toward the better. By instilling in those around us what can become an associative craving, the immediate need is satisfied with something healthful while the future is set up for something memorable. The value add is we don’t need a pandemic to make this happen.