I grew up in Upstate New York during a different time, a time when winter included snow. And from what I can remember, a lot of it. Snow days were glorious moments filled with sledding, hot chocolate and cinnamon swirl bread at our neighbor’s home. But snow storms could make life difficult and shoveling was never fun. I admit I grew up thinking that we were tough. We could deal with what Mother Nature threw at us and I was proud of it.
Now the winters here seem milder, but extreme storms, fires and floods across the world
fill my news feed. Everywhere people are weathering a storm, whether it is real or metaphorical. We all have a story. Whether we have lost our jobs, lost a loved one or received a scary diagnosis, we have all been knocked down. Somehow, though, many of us manage to get up again. This is a remarkable attribute of the human condition; this is resilience.
Our food system is being tested for its resilience, with our climate changing and our population surging. Will our farms be able to grow enough food? What crops are going to withstand the extreme conditions? Where I derive hope, though, is in the remarkable resilience of certain plants. Take winter kale for example: in order for the plant not freeze, the starches convert to sugar. The greens are then sweeter and have a whole new depth of flavor. You can taste the tenacity.
All cultures have dishes that were made out of necessity. Perhaps the community was going
through a tough time and could only get scraps to keep them alive. Years later these dishes are revered, passed down and made out of nostalgia. No matter how sophisticated your palate, the hearty food cooked by your grandmother will always nourish you on more levels. The cheaper cut of meat, with some time and love, may end up being more satisfying than the leanest filet. We are drawn to food that sustained those before us and food that makes our bodies more resilient today.
So what food reminds you of resilience? Is it a dish from your great-grandmother who had a incredible story of survival or the soup you buy when you feel your immune system dipping at a stressful time? Whether it is beans and rice, a spicy curry or a brisket, you know what food you and your family rely on. You remember those delicious dishes that brought you joy and sustenance despite the storm raging outside.