This tension of sin interwoven in God’s perfect creation is manifest in every aspect of society, but I understand it most poignantly through the study of food. I not only witness the tainted tensions, but I ingest them every day. I am what I eat, and what I eat simultaneously nourishes and harms, excites and overwhelms, communes and divides.
Read MoreThis season of rest, this time to read, is a time to find supreme delight in the place of my love and concern and work, of God’s love and concern and work, so that I can go forth in responsible, effective activism for this justice that I so desire, that God so desires.
Read More“I don’t know where you’re from, but I know your middle name and how you fell in love,” reflected Daniel, a guest at the first monthly Chez Heureuse dinner party. Upon moving into our apartment, my roommates and I began hosting monthly, themed dinners in order to bring together each other’s friends and expand our own communities in the city. After our first meal – a New Year’s-themed affair centered on tales of resolutions we kept and resolutions we failed – the group lauded the success of the meal, forging friendships among men and women who otherwise would never have met.
Read MoreThis past semester I took a course titled Food and Literature: The Invention of Modern-Day Food Writing. As we worked our way through 19th century French authors – Brillet-Savarin, Fourier – up to M.F.K. Fisher, A.J. Leibling, and Ruth Reichl, I continually found myself asking, “What’s the point?”
Read MoreEvery Monday night of the fall semester, Harvard University offers a series of weekly lectures on Science and Cooking, inviting in some of the industry's greatest contributors to offer demonstrations on the science behind the food they create.
Read MoreThis semester, I am taking a class called the History of Food. By reading recipes and records of feasts from various historical periods, we are cooking our way through the centuries to examine the evolution of taste.
Read MoreThis time last year I wrote an essay after deciding not to attend culinary school. I quoted a prayer from Thomas Merton, a prayer which I repeat almost every day. I share it again today, remembering the fear of changed plans in the past and savoring the beauty that came out of those decisions. In the same way, I look to the journey ahead with excitement, trusting that this too is a step into the journey which God has ordained for me beforehand:
Read More