Acts of mindfulness through food and drink
I've recently made my own Chai Spice blend courtesy of Meera Sodha's cookbook, Made in India: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen. Instead of just turning on the kettle and throwing in a teabag, this requires a little bit more effort and setting a pot on the stove in addition to making the spice blend itself. Sure it's not instantaneous gratification, but it's a lovely slow-down in comparison to my busy days and deliciously more flavorful than a typical teabag. It allows me to be present with what I am doing and enjoy it.
The smell of the spice as it starts to simmer into the milk and tea. The need to watch my pot of chai for the right moment to turn down the heat so it doesn't scald. The delicate balancing act of straining floating spices out to make a smoother cup. The gentle clings of a spoon to sweeten it all with a touch of sugar.
I'm curious about what other folks do as mindful acts of food and drink. It can be a comfort meal, a tasty snack, a special drink, or anything in between! Maybe we could all inspire each other to incorporate a new way to find moments of peace through a hobby we mutually love in the joy of cooking.
I think my coffee in the morning is very meditative. After I make it (keurig) I very to sit with the warm cup in my hands before my son's wake up for the day. It's kinda my time to myself for a moment watching the sunrise. It also loosens it my throat from the sleep the night before and is just pleasant in general!
I've been trying to do this with my coffee in the mornings as well. Most of my days start with early morning meetings that can be intense. A combination of WFH and the super early meeting time usually has me waking up and immediately rolling into a meeting. Due to this I usually don't have my coffee until after my first meeting, but when I do, it's during a quieter moment of my day.
The added sweet animal fact notes that my husband hides in my coffee mugs adds to the moment. It allows me to slow-down, enjoy my coffee, and learn something new and cute!
+1 for coffee ritual. Every morning I start the water in a kettle, weigh whole beans, hand grind them, then do a pour over. Whole thing takes about 10-15m. I make time for it most mornings, but those mornings where I'm rushed, I do miss the convenience of a pod machine
This reminds me of a theme in the book that first introduced me to mindfulness, which as really stuck with me over the years.
I like this a lot, thank you for sharing. Your comment reminded me of a segment I read from Be Here Now.
Gotta take time to stop and smell the roses. Or wash the dishes :)
The dishes are an interesting example for me. I used to dread doing them, partly because ugh, lots of cleaning that I don't want to do, and partly because after I do them I tend to forget what I planned to do next.
My solution was to let them pile, but do just one thing (or a bundle of things like utensils) every time I'm at the sink. That worked pretty well. Each time I appreciate that one of my tools is now clean and shiny again.
Cleaning is still a little ugh but less so now, and sometimes I do a few things instead of just one.
But it's still important to keep in mind what I want to do next. When I focus on just the present, I lose sight of the bigger picture and my mind blanks. A naive interpretation of mindfulness overlooks this, this was a big problem I had for many years after being introduced to mindfulness.
Those are good points. I think I'm similar in terms of approaching doing dishes in small batches and appreciating the outcome. Additionally I 'bribe' myself into cleaning by using products with scents I really enjoy so the cleaning process itself is more pleasant.
And, probably contrary to mindfulness, I often let my mind wander while cleaning. As much as I use mindfulness to be aware of my emotional state/regulation, I also find real value in daydreaming to passively help me through problems on my mind.
There's mindfulness in the sense of lingering in and experiencing just the present, which is what @KneeFingers ' root post talks about.
There's also mindfulness in a broader sense, being aware of what you consciously choose to be aware of. That could be the present moment, or something else, or multiple things, or nothing specific in particular (daydreaming), or even as little as possible (like when I'm about to sleep. Sometimes I notice I have too much in my head and actively tell myself "I'm done thinking for today.")
I find too many people (including a psychologist that I talked to for many years) use the term "mindfulness" in just the former, narrow sense. Sometimes the term is used dismissively, to disregard anything that's on someone's mind other than the present (Like by that same psychologist: "You weren't mindful").
Personally, I prefer the term "awareness" to refer to the latter metacognitive sense. A different term to try to avoid the conflated meanings of "mindfulness". What's important isn't always just being in the present. It's having in mind what you consciously choose to have in mind, whether that's the present or otherwise. It's that you choose, and not the pressures of your environment, your biases, traumas, etc deciding for you.
Much easier said than practiced though. Some moments are easy, like breakfast and dinner often are for me.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this out; it resonates strongly with many of the feelings/half-formed ideas I've long held, but havent quite found a way to consolidate, around 'mindfulness'.
I really like your term 'awareness' to overcome the misconceived narrowness around mindfulness.
I think the concept I've been operating around is a similar idea of 'intent' or 'intentionalness'. In particular, I've been putting a lot of personal effort into recognizing the 'default' ways I respond inwardly/emotionally to given situations. In turn, I'm finding this recognition is allowing me to give myself the space and grace of deciding how I want to react outwardly. More recently, Ive been pleasantly surprised that, slowly, Ive been able to shift what those initial 'default' reactions are.
Yeah, we gain that space when we can notice what we're doing/how we're feeling, pause, take a step back and say "there are other ways I can respond here".
I love this interpretation and @KeepCalmAndScream own personal experience they shared with this.
I used to really dread dishes because I view it as a time-theft from the activities I actually wanted to do. But it was also a blocker for the very thing I wanted to do at times, cooking a good meal. At times I would even abandon my whole idea for dinner if the sink was full because I simply did not have the energy.
It took some time for me to learn that the effort put into a clean space, whether it be you room or the sink, allows for the comfort of s non-agitating environment if your mind and body is already on edge.
Just savoring food. I'm having a slice of cake and coffee for breakfast now. Taking small bites of cake, appreciating the different flavors and textures (cake, cream, hard fondant, orange gel).
Making conscious choices about my meals. What to make, using what ingredients. I try to do something a little different from the day before, even if I still have the same ingredients in the fridge.
Once the cooking starts, the induction cooker is on and I'm on a clock, I tend to be a lot less mindful lol.
I've been trying to do this more due to picking up some bad eating habits in the past. Previous jobs in restaurants and working doubles sorta conditioned me to eat quickly. Basically just eating to sustain and not to enjoy. Putting the effort of my own hand into the food I am eating and discovering "Yes, I can cook this!" has really encouraged me to slow down with my own food. I've learned that having everything prepped and using a mise en place approach has really helped fight that race against the clock mentality once the burner is on, though I'm guilty at times for hustling like a little Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen lol just minus the anger!
I'm also a former restaurant worker who got conditioned to eat quickly since meal breaks aren't much of a thing in a lot of professional kitchens. It was always a challenge to give my full attention to cooking a dish since I nearly always had multiple things on the go at once. Most tasks became a matter of rote repetition so it was easier to divide what little mental bandwidth I had left among all of the other jobs that needed my attention more.
It took leaving the industry for me to rekindle my love of cooking and start re-thinking how I look at food. It's been tough to get away from believing that the good food that I've put my heart into is only for other people and that the act of cooking doesn't need to be something to rush through when I'm not facing the kind of deadlines that I was used to in restaurants but I'm getting there.
Like you, I find having my mise en place ready to be incredibly satisfying. Aside from making the act of cooking easier, it lets me give myself permission to stop worrying about whether I'm ready for the next step and just focus on the step in front of me.
This is going to sound a bit foolish, but I like to watch water come to a boil for pasta. If I've planned correctly and done my prep right, everything else is ready for when the pasta is cooked.
So I can be there to see the gentle convection currents via changing index of refraction in the water. Next, the formation and rise of small bubbles in the first phase of degassing. Then the churn at the surface, not yet at a rolling boil, as the water reaches the perfect temperature to slide the pasta in.
There's both anticipatory watching, and the sheer joy of watching water molecules dance with dissolved air.
Also, wine tasting, but there's enough said about that elsewhere.
Oh no, not foolish at all! In a way I'm doing the same with my pot of chai :)
I love how you wrote out your admiration of the process by describing it so well. My kitchen has some "Kitchen Witch" vibes and in way a pot of liquid simmering on the stove is my cauldron to evoke flavor spells from.
I make bread to destress. The process lasts a few days, which requires me to prioritize the bread over other distractions throughout the day. The process of kneading is incredibly cathartic and the whole proofing process gets me up from my seat every few hours. It's a good pacer for the day. Paying attention to the tactile sensations while working the dough is central to the process, ensuring the dough has the elasticity for a good rise and later ensuring that there is ample spring. Feeling, smelling, listening, watching... all my senses are engaged. Much of what I do for work is abstract and intangible. So when I get to see and enjoy the culmination of my efforts it's incredibly gratifying.
I tried bread making a few years ago with mixed results, but grew discouraged at the amount of time/effort to make something decent. Reflecting back, perhaps I wasn't in the right mind space at the time to appreciate it better.
Some recent explorations with making stuffed buns, pizza dough, and pasta making has yielded some fun and tasty results. I may need to try again soon. Any chance you have a cookbook recommendation that helped you learn?
Yeah, having the time to get things down is important. My very patient partner and myself ate an unreasonable number of terrible loaves before things started improving. I'm talking wet, dense bread. But like everything, you get better. Glad to hear your experimenting has been going well!
I have the original book from Tartine that I love, and a few of their other books that dive deeper into more diverse recipes, but the youtube series by Patrick Ryan on sourdough and yeasted bakes is what really made the difference. I love following along with the video so much that even now I'll throw it on even though I know the ratios and methods by heart. From there I just started exploring and experimenting with different hydration ratios, ingredients (earl grey or yogurt instead of water, olive/artichoke/herb inclusions, spices...), and loaf type. King Arthur also has some amazing resources in their instructional guides and recipes. I just made their pretzel buns for an Octoberfest party we threw last weekend and they came out incredibly! Don't feel the need to use their products, whatever you have on hand is fine.
What's the recipe!
It's a two parter, for the spice mix and the tea, but the mix should last for several batch of chai!
Chai Masala Spice Mix
Combine spices together, mix well, and keep in an air tight jar.
Masala Chai for 2 (8 Oz Serving)
Place water, milk, chai masala spice, and tea bags in a pot. Bring to boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for a minute or two, then strain and pour into individual mugs. Stir in sugar to taste.
I hope you enjoy! But I highly recommend checking out Meera's cookbooks since she has some amazing recipes!
Eating citrus fruits always put me in the mindful zone. Because it takes both hands, and because I really hate the pith, it ends up taking time and focus to end up with something I want to eat. When I purposely eat citrus in order to have a mindful moment, I’ll pick something big like grapefruit or pomelo, but even a mandarin gives me a little moment.
I rarely find time for it now, but I’ve always liked the ritual of making loose leaf tea in a pot - more so if I can then drink the tea in peace!
I grow sweet corn to honor my stepfather, who was a farmer. Every year for decades now. soil preparation to eating the first ear to freezing for soups in the winter, its all meaningful to me and makes me feel connected with him and with a very long tradition. This year, between my chronic illness and a puppy, I nearly missed out on planting but I got some in very late. The ears were tiny but it is my first attempt at the new open-pollinated SE corn varieties, so I am looking forward to keeping some seed and planting it next year.
Could you elaborate on what this means? It sounds very interesting! Does "open-pollinated" mean that multiple species can pollinate, or that they're not bio-engineered to prevent pollination and spread?
I love the idea of planting food to honor someone's memory. The preparation and care, the daily check ups and continued effort as a means to reflect on a loved one that is no longer with us simply makes my heart sing. Please feel free to share a memory of your step father with us, I would be grateful to share in his memory.
Hi! Open pollinated means that they will breed true to the parent corn. This is critical if you want to save your own seeds. SE means sugar-enhanced--it's sweeter than traditional sweet corn, but until recently was only available as hybrids, and under patents by big seed companies. The corn I planted was called "Who gets kissed" and there is a really nice article on its development at the High Mowing Seeds website, here.
My favorite memory of my stepfather was watching him with the fluffy white cat I gave him and my mom. (It was a stray that found me but I could not keep.) He had always claimed to have no interest in cats, but he just fell in love with that one, and the cat would ride with him out on the tractor in the fields. My stepfather was old-school rural tough, but he had a soft side that cat crawled up in and made his home.
Thank you for asking. It was nice to think about.
For me, it's just cooking in general. I love cooking, and crafting an incredible meal from scratch is very cathartic and satisfying for me. I know that's not the case for everyone, but I've gotten good enough at cooking in general that it's just not a source of stress or anything for me.
My daily morning ritual is coffee, though. Specifically espresso, which ultimately takes a bunch of steps to make.