The Joy of Food in the Christian Home

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Larry Braley

In this second presentation we listened to by Chef Francis Fouchachon, he describes how food, viewed rightly, enriches lives, especially in the Christian home. Food is more than just fuel for the body. It is a gracious gift provided by God for our enjoyment and pleasure throughout life. Mealtimes together with family and friends provide a marvelous medium for building strong, close, lasting relationships that enhance our stay on this earth.

As Chef Francis put it, “Eating is about stopping, about resting, about structuring your day, about enriching relationship, about enjoying God’s good gifts with family and friends.”

Mealtime should be the most powerful ritual that gathers and unites the family every day. “The observance of daily meals has value that we must not underestimate. Regular meals for which you stop everything should structure your day.” These are mini-events that provide rhythm to life and bring stability and comfort in times of crisis.

Children especially benefit from a structured mealtime ritual by strengthening their self-worth as they see that they are important enough for someone to spend time preparing meals for them and interacting with them. And I will add, having your children help grow at least some of the family’s food provides them a feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment, and self-worth as the family eats the food they shared in producing.

When times get tough, the family meals “are like landmarks as you travel through the day.” This brings great stability to the family and great comfort, something to look forward to amidst the stress of the day.

Contrast this with hurried, on the run meals thrown together at odd times during the day. Does this sound familiar? Does this bring more or less stress to the family? This is unhealthy for both body and soul.

Family mealtime also improves communication and coordination within the family. The family mealtime provides family members the opportunity to savor lovingly prepared food and to talk at length with each other going beyond surface conversation. Through this daily ritual, family members become best friends.

Do you spend daily mealtime together as a family? How have you used your family mealtime to strengthen your family?

 

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What We Can Learn From the French About Food

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Larry Braley

West of Paris French food

We’ve been listening to some excellent seminar presentations by French Chef Francis Foucachon, former owner of the West of Paris restaurant.  In this presentation, Chef Foucachon, born, raised and educated in Lyon, has been discussing how the French view food compared to the American view of food.

When it comes to food, Chef Foucachon believes the French “in the general grace of God, have an amazing savoir-faire, expertise and skills when it comes to the pleasures of food, the preparation, the taste, the beauty and the enjoyment of food.”

We wanted to share with you some of the key takeaways from this presentation that we thought were most significant.

  • Eating well implies buying well.

As the three most important factors in real estate are Location, Location, Location, the three most important factors in cooking are Ingredients, Ingredients, Ingredients!  Fresh, high-quality ingredients.  To get the best ingredients, you must buy well; you must be able to touch your food.  The best food is hand-picked through touching.  It must be touched to evaluate freshness and quality.

  • Local is the best source for fresh ingredients.

Shop at local farmers markets or stores that source from local farmers and growers.  Better yet, grow your own as much as you can.

  • Prepare and present your food in all its glory.

Apply all senses to the preparation and eating of food.  This includes using real dishes, real napkins, real glasses to eat with.  Make a beautiful presentation of the food to have the fullest enjoyment of eating.  As the French say, “a dish well-presented is half eaten.”  Include flowers on the table and soft, soothing music in the background.  Look to the colors, the shapes of the presentation!

  • Eat in season.

Fruits and vegetables picked early and transported over long distances rob our food of flavor and nutrition.  We should be eating more in the seasonal cycles God created to really appreciate their taste and enjoy them.

  • Real food tastes exceptional and adds to improved health.

The French have better health than Americans due to what and how they eat.  The French eat better more fresh foods, they eat slower and enjoy their food and eat smaller portions.  Americans can learn a lot from the French way of eating.

To learn more about Chef Foucachon, check out the website of his now closed West of Paris restaurant.  Bon appetite!

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Tillage Radish Update

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Larry Braley

tillage radish plant

tillage radish bed

It’s been about three and half weeks since I planted the experimental tillage radish beds.  The Lord provided and excellent rain this last week–about four, soaking inches–and the radishes have come to life.  True to form, they are growing rapidly with some plants eight inches tall at this writing.

Two of my raised beds also needed some deep tillage work, so I planted the radishes in them as well.  The radishes are going to town!  I’m looking forward to see how they do when they decompose.  I just love gardening!

I’ll post another update in another three or four weeks.

 

tillage radish raised bed

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Redneck Trampoline

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Livvy
The redneck trampoline

The redneck trampoline

Emma going for it!

Theo jumping

We had an old mattress that we needed to get rid of. Before we dumped it in the trash, we wanted to get some fun out of it. We laid the mattress on top of a hay pile in the back yard and then we backed up the truck to the pile. Then we ran off the bed of the truck onto the mattress! We had a blast for two weeks doing all sorts of different stunts and jumps on the redneck trampoline. It may sound silly but at the end of the day when everything is done who would’nt want to go jump off a truck onto a mattress! Ya’ gotta love that good ole country fun:)

What do you do for country fun?

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Pig Update

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Livvy

Stripe the pig.

 

Stripe the pig.

Stripe is about five and a half months old now. We have been moving him around the garden in a pen so he can root up the soil. He has grown quite a bit since we got him. We have been feeding him scraps and an occasional squirrel.

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Lewis & Clark Art Studies

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Laura

Lewis and Clark drawings

HOW about those Indians?  We had a great time today studying the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  I purchased some sketch books for my youngest 3 children and they have been busy sketching things related to the expedition.  I have been using Sharon Jeffus’ book, Lewis and Clark Hands on Art/English Activities.

This book is a great supplement for this history unit.  The author teaches students to use shading techniques to sketch animals that Lewis and Clark discover along their journey.  There is also a map-making activity along with learning the methods of observation and the importance of journaling.  Letting the children express what they learned by sketching and drawing, will enrich any history lesson and take the boredom out of everyday school.

Do your kids love to draw?  What tools have you used?

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