Life From Scratch (48 page)
Authors: Sasha Martin
Tags: #Cooking, #Essays & Narratives, #Biography & Autobiography, #Personal Memoirs, #Regional & Ethnic, #General
The blushing tops of our chikenduza dry to a matte luster, tempting us even as we eat our squash. A whole meal of squash seems a curious thing, but there’s winter in the air, and their sugared warmth promises comfort.
We start with pumpkin dusted with cinnamon—a twist of my mother’s, too. Then there’s “gem,” squash stuffed with corn and cheese then roasted until crackling brown. I use more readily available acorn squash, split and seeded. After the flesh roasts for the better part of an hour, it takes on the flavor of roasted chestnuts—striking when paired with the sweet corn and salt of cheese.
Finally, we spoon butternut squash smashed with peanut butter, called
nhopi:
a salty-sweet side dish, the peanut more whisper than shout, especially if coaxed smooth with an immersion blender—then it is velvet.
When the last of the too-sweet icing is licked from our fingers, I hold Ava on my hip and we look at the world map, now covered with gemstones. They twinkle like 200 jeweled bindis, the South Asian mark of the sixth chakra, seat of concealed wisdom, balance.
“Can we start cooking the world all over again, Mama?” Ava asks.
She knows no time before this adventure, no feast before eating the world. A rush of sentimentality overcomes me. I blink and when I open my eyes, I half-expect to find a seven-month-old baby nestled in my arms again.
But time waits for no one. I look at her face and see the unrecognizable future—hers and mine, too. Even as I cooked my way around this uncharted world, there were constant bridges to the past, beginning with the apricots of Afghanistan and ending with Mom’s beloved cinnamon on pumpkin. Now I know my food is inextricably tied to the past. It always will be.
Though I may not have secured a new future, I’d secured something much better by filling those empty spice jars nearly four years ago. Cooking the world has opened my eyes to other ways of being, loving, and mothering. Most importantly, it has taught me to savor the present moment, sinking into the ephemeral like the ripe fruit that it is. There’s an ease about not knowing what will come next—an ease I never could have felt before.
Each bite is a flash of the past and the present.
After Ava goes to bed and Keith retires for the night, I walk through the kitchen and pluck a crumb from the hard tile. I feel the sharp, dry edge against my scarred fingertips and an immense, immeasurable love washes over me.
Zimbabwe Peanut Butter & Butternut Mash | Nhopi
The punch of salty peanut butter with sweet squash is a celebration of opposing forces—one I wish I might have encountered years ago. Though a spoon of this puree might not have altered
the rough-and-tumble course of my life, it surely helps confirm my long-held suspicions: There is much delight to be had in a spoon of the unconventional
.
1 hefty butternut squash
A good ¼ cup natural creamy peanut butter
Salt or sugar
Finishing touches:
A handful of crushed peanuts
Peel, cube, and steam butternut squash for about 30 minutes or until a fork sinks easily into the flesh. Next, mash the peanut butter into the squash with a little salt or sugar. To get a silky smooth texture, use an immersion blender. If the mash remains stiff, thin with a little water.
Sprinkle with crushed peanuts and serve hot. Smile.
Enough for 2 to 4 as a side dish
Acknowledgm
e
nts
I
T IS ONE THING TO GIVE
, but another thing entirely to give exactly what is needed. I have been blessed by such generosity my entire life, and this book would have never been written without the loving, purposeful support of my family, friends, editors, and agent. They led me through the memoir writing process, helping me share a story that I hope will show others that peace can come, even after turmoil.
Thanks to my husband, Keith, and daughter, Ava, for being my champions. Not only did they endure my four-year marathon of cooking the world, but they supported me as old grief resurfaced and during frequent absences at hotels, cafés, and bakeries as I immersed myself into the world of my past. Thanks to Mom—not only for being my friend, but also for waiting patiently for me to realize that she
is
my friend. Thanks to my loving siblings for their trust; without their support I may never have had the nerve to share my story. Thanks to Keith’s son and family for bringing me into the fold so readily—their unquestioning acceptance is a gift. And thanks to the families who have cared for me through the years. Without their support, who knows where I would be.
Thanks to my agent and cheerleader, Lisa DiMona, who enthusiastically pushed me to share my story, along with Caitlin Ellis, Jean Garnett, Henry Ginna, and Julie Trelstad. Without Lisa’s fearless optimism, I may never have sought out a contract in the first place.
I’m incredibly grateful to National Geographic for taking the leap with me. Thanks especially to my editor Hilary Black, who never let me tell the easy truth but pushed me to dig deeper every step of the way. She taught me that not all stories have to be dark, but every story needs depth. Thanks also to Janet Goldstein and Anne Smyth for many wise insights along the way, to Jonathan Halling for his artistic grace, and to Heidi Vincent, Heidi Egloff, Ann Day Saperstein, and Lauren Hodapp for their impressive marketing and publicity contributions. Warm gratitude to Patricia Mulcahy for her wisdom and humor as she helped me rein in my meandering prose. In the process she taught me not only to trust the reader, but also to trust myself. Cheers and chuckles go to my copy editor, Heather McElwain. Because of her I now know that the possessive form of Paris is in fact Paris’s—a detail that escaped me not only during the three years I lived in the city but for decades afterward.
As I wrote this book, I relied on so many fellow writers, whose warmth and humor refueled me as I worked. Kelly Crow’s pep talks went beyond technical advice to teach me about the contract between writer and reader. Because of her, “Carry the reader through to the end” became a catchphrase through many late-night writing sessions. When my writing got muddled with emotion Marina Teper and Rebekah Shannon steadied me with calming logic. Tina Nettles always asked the right questions to get me back on track. Much appreciation goes to my other devoted readers, many from Write Process and Harwelden Writers’ Group: Terry Collins, Steve Chalmers, Jamie Naifeh, Barry Parks, and Gina Conroy. Thanks also to those writers whose work has provided endless inspiration—in particular, the mouthwatering brilliance of Nigel Slater and Jeanette Walls’s uncanny ability to convey the fourth dimension of love.
So many friends and colleagues took the time to test recipes, help with research, or otherwise cheer me on: Judy Allen, Heather Anderson, Tony Ash, Alexandra Bergman, Julie Bielza, Bodean Seafood Market, Danielle Carlotti-Smith, Karen Coates, Gina Conroy, Ken Downey, Malorie Farrington, Raquel Fagan, Annie Ferris, Chris Guillebeau, Sophie Herbert, Laura Kelley, Robert Johnson, Morgan M. Kuhn with PBS, Anitra Lavanhar, Carla Lechner, Ruby Libertus, Shane Maak, Jamie Magurno, Janine Maraviglia, Andee Marksamer, Jill Meredith, Becky Morales, Tina Nettles, Dan Noll, Marianne Oliver, Dr. Mary Parker, Elke Säubert, Brian Schwartz, Audrey Scott, Rebekah Shannon, Brigid Santiago, Amanda Simcoe, Janine Smith, Homa Sabet Tavangar, Marina Teper, Steven Wooley, and Jonathan Wooley. Their kindness will always be remembered with a smile.
I cannot begin to explain how much I appreciate the efforts of all those who helped make the Global Table Experience come true: Philbrook Museum, for donating their grounds—especially Jeff Martin, for unequivocally embracing and supporting my idea for the Global Table Experience, and Meghan Hurley of Concepts PR for bringing it to life along with ABCO Rents, Angela Evans, Argie Lewis Flowers, Eisenhower School, J. Traczyk Creative, Restaurant Equipment & Supply, Amanda Waller, Jason Burks, Retrospec Films, Rebekah Shannon, Andrea Leitch, and countless other volunteers. Thanks, too, to all the cooking schools and caterers who came together to create recipes from 176 countries in the world with no expectations of payment or compensation: Chef Howard and all of Culinary Institute of Platt College, Mike Mitchell of Blue Label Bartending, Kenny Wagoner of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Rob Stuart of Chimera, Jonathan Haring of Deco Restaurant Group, Gary Copper of Euro-Mart, Annie Ferris and all of Global Gardens, Hale High School Culinary Program, Justin Thompson (of Juniper, PRHYME, and Tavolo), Miranda Kaiser of Laffa, Libby Auld of Elote and The Vault, Candace Conley of The Girl Can Cook!, Tuck Curren of Biga Italian Restaurant, Michael Yip and all of Tulsa Technology Center, Whole Foods Market of Tulsa, and Family and Children’s Services, especially Dianne Hughes and the Women In Recovery Culinary Creations Program.
Thank you to the readers of
GlobalTableAdventure.com
, who unwaveringly supported my mission of creating peace and understanding through food.
And finally, thanks to those who have been in my life now or in the past, who have shown me love unconditionally or conditionally, who have given me support when I couldn’t appreciate it, and who have lifted me up when it seemed like I could only fall down. I love you.
Recipe Ind
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German Tree Cake | Baumtorte/Baumkuchen
Mom’s Curious Cinnamon Raisin Pizza
Roasted Acorn Squash With Arugula & Chèvre
Dark Chocolate Guinness Cake With Baileys Buttercream
Fire-Roasted Fish | Fihunu Mas
Samoan Chocolate & Orange Coconut Rice Pudding
Zimbabwe Peanut Butter & Butternut Mash | Nhopi
Hungry for More?
If you’d like to try even more recipes from around the world, you can access the 650+ recipes Keith, Ava, and I tried for free at
www.GlobalTableAdventure.com
. Several are listed from each country. New subscribers will receive a free copy of our Global Table Adventure Starter Kit—an invaluable tool for anyone looking to cook their way around the world. Special recipes, discussion guides, and other resources are also available for your book club.