humanity
Humanity topics include pieces on the real lives of chefs, professionals, amateurs, inspiring youth, influencers, and general feel good human stories in the Feast food sphere.
Bean Sorting
Laurel always loved to cook. From her earliest years, the kitchen had been her playground. When she was six it was her job to sort out the broken beans and little stones from the pinto beans her father, Joseph, would make. Later that summer she graduated to smashing and peeling the garlic. She was so small she had to stand on a chair and push all her weight to mash the clove under the flat side of the blade. Her father had developed a system of measurements for teaching her recipes at such a young age, she was too young to work with ounces, cups, quarts, tablespoon and such, and so he divided it into “long pour” and “short pour,” “dad sized pinch,” and “kid-sized pinch,” small blue cup with the little flower on its side, and large coffee mug with a picture of the Coneheads from Saturday Night Live. Rice was one small cup of rice and two small cups of water. Mexican beans were half an onion cut in half again, four cloves garlic mashed, one small cup of pinto beans (sorted of course), two dad-sized pinches of salt, and two Conehead-cups of water.
By Laylah Muran de Assereto5 years ago in Feast
The One with the Dip
My family has never really cared much for sports (watching or playing), but boy, do we enjoy watching expensive commercials while munching on salty treats. When I was a child we would always go for the quick and easy store bought French onion dip with plain potato chips. Pairing this with different bologna, cheeses, and crackers created a salty bounty of yumminess. As my sisters and I got older and began exploring different culinary avenues than what our parents traditionally stuffed us with, we began crafting our own dips. One of my all time favorite dips is a spinach dip paired with bread or crackers. I prefer it cold with the crunch of water chestnuts and the tang of a vegetable soup mixture of dried seasonings. For a more sophisticated taste, I like to make a roasted red pepper dip. Once upon a time I stumbled upon the recipe in one of my first cookbooks. Hello, adulting. Ranch or veggie dips with carrots or salsa (sometimes sweet or spicy) have always been classics as well. Fresh fruit such as strawberries or pineapple dipped in a whipped topping always satisfies that pesky sweet tooth (not to mention a glass or two of wine).
By Samantha Beam5 years ago in Feast
The Super Bowl vs Weight Watchers
I watch football. Whether I'm doing it as a genuine interest or for the opportunity to hang out with a bunch of men is unclear. However, I can honestly declare I love beer, wings and that passion a human being has for their favourite sports team. (Yes, I will be speaking Canadian in this piece. I won't bring up the CFL though. Not just because it's Super Bowl Sunday, but also because I don't really know anything about the CFL.)
By Christina Walkinshaw5 years ago in Feast
It’s Not Super Bowl without (this) Amazing ‘Guac’!
It’s statistically proven! Guacamole or ’Guac’ (like some people call it), is the queen food of Super Bowl. One of the most eaten snacks, and for me definitely the most delicious. Guacamole is one of the five favorite foods for Game Day, with about 12% of Americans' annual avocado consumption happening during Super Bowl week (Today Magazine, 2021). Every year more than 8 million pounds of guacamole are consumed during day of the Super Bowl in the U.S. (The Post Game, 2018). If you do a Google Search with the terms ‘guacamole’ + ‘Super Bowl’ you will find thousands of recipes with names like “Super Bowl Super Guacamole Bowl” or “Guacamole Footbowls” (which, by the way, look super cute!).
By Marina Fortuño5 years ago in Feast
Traditionally A Big Deal
One of the biggest days celebrated in my family is, of course, the Super Bowl! Since I was seven years old my dad and my brothers and my mother go all out every year for game day. You would think it would be a simple recipe of maybe wings, nachos, chips, maybe some extras thrown out on a grill but, no. It always starts the day before game day crag legs, fried corn, wings, lobster, sausage, and of course the Winners punch and the Losers punch. I’m talking big messy crab boil, mixed with fried foods and our traditional winner/loser punch! Safe to say that at the end of it all everyone 21 and up are all inebriated and barely functioning.
By Laura Featherston 5 years ago in Feast
Our family bond with Fritos
Our family bond with Fritos Traditions in our family have shifted a bit through the years. When I was a young girl my family lived in Wichita Kansas. Our family was not rich as far as money and monetary possessions, but family food and good times were always in abundance. My father was a mason by trade and still young, so very much bottom man on the totem pole. This caused the winter months to be a bit more challenging for us all. Work as a mason in the winter was not booming to say the least.
By Jamica Wallace5 years ago in Feast
A Time for Tea
Tea time. It's may be a time to relax. It may be a time to be energized. For some it’s the perfect beverage to enjoy while looking out the window on a rainy day. Or, it may be a quick drink in hopes to take in a much needed caffeine fix. For many it's a time to connect with others while sipping on the warm flavors of the earth. Friends gather, sharing stories and laughing, each having their own agenda or purpose. One may be confiding in another, while others are there to gossip about their in-laws. For some, this is a time to reflect. Perhaps journaling is accompanying the cup of leaves. Whatever the reason, tea time is a special time.
By Deana Marie Freeman5 years ago in Feast
Abuela's Cookbook
Rico grew up in the kitchen cooking with his abuela. She used to make the most amazing dishes. Steaming tamales, chilaquiles, mole, enchiladas. Tacos with the most succulent of beefs and chickens; she always made it so juicy and robust in flavor. To this day he still had no clue how she did it. When she passed away a part of him died with her; he only thought it right to honor her memory and encourage his passion of cooking by going into the culinary field. The plan was to get enough additional cooking skills that he could start his own food truck and travel, spreading the joys of Abuela's cooking.
By L. M. Williams5 years ago in Feast
