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Lily LaMotte (Measuring Up): Grief and Cooking

Published almost 2 years ago • 1 min read

Dear Reader,

This has been a year of very heavy hearts for us all. I wasn't sure what I could possibly write about in my newsletter to you. Then I read Sam Sifton's New York Times newsletter What To Cook. His latest newsletter is titled "Grief and Cooking." Here's the link.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/25/dining/cooking-relief-grief.html

By the time you read this, the newsletter might be behind a paywall. So, here is the part that spoke to me:

Food plays a central role in our reaction to tragedy, to death and grieving. It’s why casseroles appear on the doorsteps and countertops of those experiencing it, why we feel the urge to roast chickens or assemble lasagnas when the news is grim. Food is comfort of a sort, and fuel as well, for anger and sorrow alike. We cook to provide for those we love and for ourselves. In the activity itself we strive to find relief, strength, resolve.

On my browser just this week, I started to keep the NYT Cooking tab open. I soothed myself by scrolling through salads and dips featuring yogurt. I recently discovered that I love making yogurt dressings for my salads. The thick Greek and Icelandic yogurts make a wonderful base to add all sorts of flavors. I've even done a Caesar dressing by adding the traditional ingredients to the yogurt instead of using olive oil. The salad was so good and I felt a bit virtuous knowing that I was feeding my gut with both prebiotics and probiotics. Last night, we had a light meal of Borani-yeh Esfenaj (Spinach Yogurt Dip) also from the NYTimes Cooking section. Although this recipe is behind a paywall, there are so many free cooking sites with delicious and comforting recipes to choose from.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. During a Mother's Day weekend dinner, Irena (on the right) learned that I'd never had egg tart. This traditional dessert originated in Hong Kong. The next day, the lovely Irena made some to share. They were deliciously creamy and sweet. If you want to give it a try, she used this recipe from @momoshares (Instagram).

Here's to sharing love and comfort with friends and loved ones through food.

~~Lily

Hi, I’m a creator

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