Spirituality...the essence of who we are and who we leave behind.......the works of our hands and the mind are so intertwined, that it is hard to separate the two....and why should we...after all we are unique human beings and indiindividuals that have a purpose upon this earth.......
The need to belong not just to another but to the self finally defines and gives you a place on this earth. Cooking belongs to me and i belong to cooking in myriad ways that you can imagine....where i come from, where i m today and what i bring with me and take with me and leave behind when i go all reflects in my cooking. The need to cook, the why must i cook, the why shouldn't i cook are questions that make up my cooking history. The words of Ryan Dickson, speaks to my mind when he says, " The through his knowing and the work of his hands, leaves behind not only part of himself, but also part of his ancestors and those of the people-connection past to present to future, and people to people." When i cook i bring in a little bit of my past and knit it with my present which will live on through my daughter in the future....my spirit lives on . I find this aspect of labour and craft and creativity surreal and worth while. Gives me meaning that i was born as a human being and leave the world a bit richer and a bit wiser(i hope). My little contribution in making a future for our children.........I may never, i am sure i will never climb the Mt. Everest or travel to the moon...or even be rich and famous and live in a mansion....(not that i have any such aspirations), but i will definitely connect to my spirituality via cooking and feeding and sharing and laughing, and chatting, and exchanging stories and recipes, and celebrating and crying and mourning and creating and experimenting and meeting and connecting and bonding and nurturing and developing all of this and so much more..... i will soar like the eagle high upon the deep blue sky while cooking and connect to all the elements of nature.....free and uncomplicated.....
Spirituality is multidimensional. As explained and quoted from Poloma & Pendleton, " There is a robust connection between personal well-being and a concern with the spiritual. The " faith factor" emerges as a significant contributor to quality of life indicators such s life satisfaction, happiness, self-esteem, hope and optimism and meaning in life."
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
I love Butter
retrieved on 19/10/2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5K75Y3r43I&feature=related ...i love her steadfast determination and dedication....personally cooking does bring me a similar meaning and i can relate to her dedication.
Friday, 14 October 2011
Affordances-spiritualiity-Aesthetics-health
Food-cooking-spirituality-aesthetics-health......i believe that they all go hand in hand:
We all cook at some point in life and eat everyday, some 4 times a day and others more...... so how is food connected spiritually? We all have different preferences in life and different value systems...... whats good for the goose may not be good for the gander!
The act of cooking food, the methods and procedures, the food itself and the ingredients, used for cooking and eventually the presentation all should be in great harmony with each other like a well rehersed choir. i remember my grandmother's words on some occassion, for something i can't remember....but these words have stuck with me ever since....." Even animals and birds gather food for themselves and their young ones.... the difference with humans and them" is our power and will and creativity to present our food in a palatable way." I suppose i will alwys carry those words with me, because i can be a bit of a perfectionist, when i present my cooked food. Sometimes it may not be a very palateble item of food, but if i put it well together with garnishings and creativity, it looks attractive and people would love to eat it...it has happened quite a few times in my life, especially young ones.... when you disguise salads and other vegetables that would require a battle of wills to be eaten. I believe in cleanliness is next to godliness, and i live by these principles therefore i present my food in a clean and clutter free environment. We have a ritual to always light a candle and sweet smelling insence at the table for dinners.... for aspiciousness and mellow ambience. a symbol of beauty, olfactory pleasentness. In my house evenings are quite sacred, where we all gather around the table to eat, but also thank God for the day gone by and slow down from the busiess of the day. To be able to unwind from the business of the day, amidst sweet smelling candles and a lovely warm cooked dinner. When dusk falls upon the ground, and all creatures upon the planet find a resting spot, it is quite apt to come home and feel how blessed we are to have a home and food on our table and think of unfortunate beings who have nothing. This is why we think it is very important to say grace and include everyone in our prayers and thoughts who are lonely and suffering......so we do our little bit of positive thinking and breathe a love and compassion form our little corner of the world. Gives us a sense of well being and makes us grounded as people and humans. We are after all the superior and lucky beings that God has created, so i feel that it is but the least i can do to make this world a better place to live in.
We eat everyday of our lives...... form the moment we are born we cry for food, ...and it is a part of our survival to eat and drink. However, i do believe that we can be mindful eaters and like many things in life, consumption of food needs discipline. I do believe that it is me who is in control and not food controllig me. I try my best to eat consciously and i consider my body to be the alter to my spirituality, where God resides, therefore i would not like to defile it with over- eating or too much junk food. I am quite a mindful eater and i try my best to eat healthy. I like to cook most of my food, and its possibly my culture too, but i like to eat lot of lentils and beans and vegetables as i was brought up this way. Food aand cooking and eating draws most cultures together, and that is the beauty of eating together and community survives and thrives when there are communal gatherings like this.
Culturally speaking, as an Indian, my culture is famous for gatherings that take place due to religious reasons and there is always food involved in these occassions....and that is what remember form my childhood......lots of people, copious amounts of food, people celebrating a birth or mourning a death ...food was quite a central part of our living....... which puts into perspective, if you are happy, we must eat, and then if we are sad we must eat..... so emotions are connected with the intake of food......!!! It is not surprising that there are health issues as well as eating disorders when people cannot cope they target food...... Either you are in control or food is in control!!
When i was a little girl growing up in my house, i remember my grandmother sneaking in some vagabond, beggar and raggedy people in the back yard , away form the stern eyes of my grand father, and piling great amounts of rice and left over curry on to their plates..... i suppose that was her way of caring for the poor and hungry and doing her bit to feed the millions of hungry in India. It was no surprise to me and my sisters when we returned form school to come home to a beggar sitting in one corner of the garden eating hungrily out of a plate..... and then he used to be piled with ll our old clothes, and spare blankets , before he was sent away hastily, before my grandfather could say much.........those memories now mke me smile....and gives me a great sense of peace and pride...... i do carry some of those traits in my genes..... i believe, and there is no greater joy than giving...surpasses the joy of receiving....!!....well i think i will leave it at that for tonight nd blog a bit more tomorrow..... it is very relaxing to blog about your past and jog those happy memories........ i am happy to share them with you all......
We all cook at some point in life and eat everyday, some 4 times a day and others more...... so how is food connected spiritually? We all have different preferences in life and different value systems...... whats good for the goose may not be good for the gander!
The act of cooking food, the methods and procedures, the food itself and the ingredients, used for cooking and eventually the presentation all should be in great harmony with each other like a well rehersed choir. i remember my grandmother's words on some occassion, for something i can't remember....but these words have stuck with me ever since....." Even animals and birds gather food for themselves and their young ones.... the difference with humans and them" is our power and will and creativity to present our food in a palatable way." I suppose i will alwys carry those words with me, because i can be a bit of a perfectionist, when i present my cooked food. Sometimes it may not be a very palateble item of food, but if i put it well together with garnishings and creativity, it looks attractive and people would love to eat it...it has happened quite a few times in my life, especially young ones.... when you disguise salads and other vegetables that would require a battle of wills to be eaten. I believe in cleanliness is next to godliness, and i live by these principles therefore i present my food in a clean and clutter free environment. We have a ritual to always light a candle and sweet smelling insence at the table for dinners.... for aspiciousness and mellow ambience. a symbol of beauty, olfactory pleasentness. In my house evenings are quite sacred, where we all gather around the table to eat, but also thank God for the day gone by and slow down from the busiess of the day. To be able to unwind from the business of the day, amidst sweet smelling candles and a lovely warm cooked dinner. When dusk falls upon the ground, and all creatures upon the planet find a resting spot, it is quite apt to come home and feel how blessed we are to have a home and food on our table and think of unfortunate beings who have nothing. This is why we think it is very important to say grace and include everyone in our prayers and thoughts who are lonely and suffering......so we do our little bit of positive thinking and breathe a love and compassion form our little corner of the world. Gives us a sense of well being and makes us grounded as people and humans. We are after all the superior and lucky beings that God has created, so i feel that it is but the least i can do to make this world a better place to live in.
We eat everyday of our lives...... form the moment we are born we cry for food, ...and it is a part of our survival to eat and drink. However, i do believe that we can be mindful eaters and like many things in life, consumption of food needs discipline. I do believe that it is me who is in control and not food controllig me. I try my best to eat consciously and i consider my body to be the alter to my spirituality, where God resides, therefore i would not like to defile it with over- eating or too much junk food. I am quite a mindful eater and i try my best to eat healthy. I like to cook most of my food, and its possibly my culture too, but i like to eat lot of lentils and beans and vegetables as i was brought up this way. Food aand cooking and eating draws most cultures together, and that is the beauty of eating together and community survives and thrives when there are communal gatherings like this.
Culturally speaking, as an Indian, my culture is famous for gatherings that take place due to religious reasons and there is always food involved in these occassions....and that is what remember form my childhood......lots of people, copious amounts of food, people celebrating a birth or mourning a death ...food was quite a central part of our living....... which puts into perspective, if you are happy, we must eat, and then if we are sad we must eat..... so emotions are connected with the intake of food......!!! It is not surprising that there are health issues as well as eating disorders when people cannot cope they target food...... Either you are in control or food is in control!!
When i was a little girl growing up in my house, i remember my grandmother sneaking in some vagabond, beggar and raggedy people in the back yard , away form the stern eyes of my grand father, and piling great amounts of rice and left over curry on to their plates..... i suppose that was her way of caring for the poor and hungry and doing her bit to feed the millions of hungry in India. It was no surprise to me and my sisters when we returned form school to come home to a beggar sitting in one corner of the garden eating hungrily out of a plate..... and then he used to be piled with ll our old clothes, and spare blankets , before he was sent away hastily, before my grandfather could say much.........those memories now mke me smile....and gives me a great sense of peace and pride...... i do carry some of those traits in my genes..... i believe, and there is no greater joy than giving...surpasses the joy of receiving....!!....well i think i will leave it at that for tonight nd blog a bit more tomorrow..... it is very relaxing to blog about your past and jog those happy memories........ i am happy to share them with you all......
Affordances- cooking-the endless lbour of love
Hello everyone, I better share my cooking story with you all……to begin with, last evening I blogged for about an hour taking you through the meandering pathway of my days in the kitchen….and as unexpectedly…or shall I add predictably my work was lost due to a technical glitch!! So that was that!!,
But I was calm and shut my computer and went to bed instead!! And here I am again this morning, trying to do damage control!! So bear with me and fasten your seat-belts , It’s almost count down time to take off………10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0…………….!!!
Last week after a hectic day at school and picking my daughter up from school, we arrived to the comforts of home. There is certainly no place like the home. As I parked the car in the drive way, the cats came out bounding and leaping out from the garden bushes….. By the way, even surpassing a wagging and excited dog, I must add; Our feline members have some traits that resemble dogs!
We marched straight into the kitchen, as is the custom in my house, and spread all our belongings on the kitchen table and take a breather to pat and cuddle the cats, before we begin the serious business of feeding and being fed!! The single most important survival task that human beings do. Over and over again in their life time. In the olden days man hunted and gathered for food. They tilled and grew and harvested………….but nothing radically has changed from the past, in my opinion. We have been able to package, freeze, clone, hybrid, graft, globalize, transport food……..but food essentially remains the same and it is universally cooked in various forms and eaten, and digested and ……..Eureka! Man still lives on!!
I decided to cook “Sag Dal” (spinach, lentil) Sag Dal is a very popular vegetarian curry in India, and I have had fond associations with this very nutritious and wholesome food in my past. It is a comfort food for me and I want to share it with my family….so I proceed to cook this lovely aromatic, packed with goodness meal. My daughter and I begin with visiting our little vege-patch where we have grown some very healthy looking spinach, silver-beet, cauliflower, broccoli and onions, and other vegetables…all cramped in a small spot. We are in love with our humble little “gold-Mine” and are very proud of our own fresh produce. ( Can you see us preening with pride??!! You would think we are Mr. Bill Gates himself, with a billion dollar IT industry!! ) ( No offence to Him, but we consider ourselves in par with him in wealth,…… and I bet you, our wealth does not give us any sleepless nights…..but just the opposite!!) So much for the rendezvous in the vege-patch, which is no bigger than a pocket-sized handkerchief. My daughter helps me pick some fresh, crunchy spinach. We pick a large bunch and head back to the kitchen.
I wash and chop the leaves up and leave it to drain in the colander. Meanwhile the jug has boiled with water that I need to boil my lentils in. I wash the “masoor dal” (red lentils) thoroughly till all the water is clear and I put it in a big pot to boil. I add a big chunk of pounded ginger and a tea-spoon of turmeric. I close the lid of the pot and turn the stove to low heat. I have a panache for cooking food in low heat, as I believe that food tastes a lot better and the nutrients are preserved far better this way……now anyone out there, an expert, on food- nutrition…..please prove me wrong!!! But this is how I have learned to cook, and it is certified by my grandmother who is in heaven now!! Mean- while my daughter has been busy talking nineteen- to the dozen and I have been answering all her questions, so communication is strong between us….. as you can imagine. She has had a bite to eat by now and trying hard to wiggle her way out of doing some writing exercise with very valid reasons….mind you; ( but according to her only!) Reluctantly she gets her exercise book out and decides to write 10 lines on the happenings of the day with lackluster effort. I leave it at that and try not to sound too condescending. I hum a little tune instead, and praise her for her great decision, and assure her that she can play a little computer game after she had finished her writing!!! I lost the battle, but won the war……..( I am the mother here, you must understand….and mothers always know what’s best for their children....well! most of the time anyway)…I suppose as the evening progresses in my kitchen, and patience gets frayed and thin, it is hard to keep tiredness and weariness out on the bay,…..therefore when I hear her begin to moan and grumble just after a sentence, I snap at her to concentrate and get on with it. Phew! That was a close call in nearly losing my voice ……but I managed to remain calm and get on with cooking…….. I must be mindful here, I remind myself, and I do want to breathe positive, loving vibrations into the meal to be soul food….. ! A bit of REBT (rational emotive behavior therapy) and a bit of mindful, meditation always helps me to be who I am essentially or strive to be….. day by day. The next step in cooking dal is finely chopping a large onion, few cloves of garlic ready for frying. I also open a can of chopped tomatoes, not ideally my favorite as I do not like canned food…not habituated from my childhood, I must add! ( I don’t know about you people there, but my household economy and my ethics will not allow myself to buy a kilo of tomatoes for $21….i just think it is ludicrous! Absolutely not! Therefore I resort to canned tomatoes for $2 a can.) I would have liked to grow my own, but I have no glass house, and the ones I grew in the pot wasn’t satisfactory, in the past unfortunately… I pour some oil into the frying pan, and wait for the hot fumes to rise before I add a large pinch of “Jeera” ( Cumin seeds), Lal Mirch, Tej-patta !( dry red chili, and a few Bay leaves ) I fry these Masala till they are golden brown and I can smell a fresh waft of spices drift from the ingredients. Then I add the chopped onion and garlic and fry them as well, till the oil separates from the masala. Lastly I add salt and a can of chopped tomatoes. I give it a good stir and put the lid on the pan and let it all simmer for 5 minutes or so till the tomatoes are all nicely cooked. Now I must retract my steps backwards a bit, as I multi-task while I fry my masala for the dal. The jug has been set to boil a second time, and that hot water has been used to soak a rice-cooker full of rice after being thoroughly washed. I leave it to soak for 2- 3 minutes, as the secret for rice to be fluffy and rise in the pan Is this step of washing thoroughly with warm water and soaking it in hot water before cooking. After the soaking is over, I drain out the hot water and add some fresh hot water to the rice, with some cardamom seeds( Queen of all spices as it is known, and it gives a heavenly aroma to food,) and a bit of cooking oil. I set it to cook in the rice cooker, which takes about 20 minutes. The dal has been slow cooking for about 10 minutes and it is time to add the chopped spinach leaves by now. I let it cook for about 2/3 minutes more as spinach cooks easily and I do not like it over cooked. The next step is to add all the fried masala from the frying pan into the Dal and sag mixture and stir it gently. All the lovely aroma and flavor’s mix together and turns the humble Dal Sag into a delicacy, and only those who have savored this delicious dish will vouch for it to be one of the yummiest dishes created on earth. ( well! At least in my opinion,……I know everyone’s pallet is not the same….and thank goodness for that , otherwise the world would not have a culinary melting pot of different flavor’s )
Welcome to my kitchen….boan appetite!! The Sag Dal is cooked…………and the rice is cooked…………..the child is happy as she has graduated from her 10 lines of writing unto her computer game……..the cats are purring and curled up after licking their chops………and it is 6 o clock, …..and I am dog tired and I need a cup of tea..!!!! …and I will do this again tomorrow and all the morrows that follow ……….as Green ,T.F. (1968), Work, leisure and The American schools so aptly states that, “ it is the fact that we are alive that brings bout labours, leaving nothing behind. Yet we cannot say, that it is futile, there is nothing more urgent than the need to provide adequate shelter and food.” She could not be more right than this!!
i can almost smell the fresh baked loaves of bread…… and the earth beneath my feet…..how about you??
Photo of an old town bake oven still in use in Europe.
Retrieved on the 14th/10/2011 from http://www.chimkc.com/masonry_heaters.htm
Cucumber in a pot in my back yard!!
Pocket-sized vege-patch
Proudly owned by me!!
Proudly owned by me!!References:
Green, T. F. (1968). Work, leisure, and the American schools. New York: Random House
Retrieved on the 14th/10/2011 from http://www.chimkc.com/masonry_heaters.htm
Monday, 26 September 2011
Ergonomics
Cooking……..Cooking………..The Melting pot for all cultures, traditions, beliefs and ways to meet centrally………..universally, spiritually......
Cooking is an age old habit, hobby and automatic gear for me. I have had a lifelong love story with cooking, ……like any love story, mine with cooking has had its ups and down. Its rocky days and its chocolates and roses days literally………….!!! I must admit though that by and by, I have learned to resolve these issues, and like wine matured in a wooden barrel over the years, mine has developed its unique flavor, taste and reflective feelings to it. It is an integral part of who I am and how I identify myself. My cultural beliefs, my personal beliefs and my personality and also my spirituality are all linked with: “to cook, how to cook, when to cook and for whom to cook for .”
I could tell great yarns about my personal journey with cooking,……….not that I am any chef in any competition or any Jamie Oliver of New Zealand or any other master chef advertised in the T.V., but I consider myself a self-made chef and my daughter and family think I am a celebrity, no less……!!! Does my confidence and ego good, the need for human beings to feel accepted, special and successful!!!
How shall I describe myself???!!! Self-reflection in words can be very tricky, and very black and white. It’s easier to ponder and ruminate over matters and reflect in the depth of your mind than weaving a tapestry of words and to top it off to publish it for all and sundry to read about who you are!!
However, I shall try to describe myself closet to who I feel I am in relation to my Cooking activity.
I am a doer or let’s just say that somebody who is in the best of her elements when (she is) I am doing, creating, making, performing something…. Or just being…….. Sounds awfully complicated and philosophical, doesn’t it?
Let me explain to you all in simple words, what cooking means to me at this point of my life stage.
Cooking bridges the gap I feel from my adulthood to my childhood. Cooking evokes happy memories from my past and future seems very tangible and real. It fulfills my yearning for my culture and my country. It meets the need for an end…eating and reaching out to people. ………………….. I could go on and on…….
So by now I think you have guess what activity I am interested in performing…………………and if you haven’t then I will spell it out for you…………… I am Cooking!!! Cooking Soul Food and Cooking Yummy Indian Food with all the aroma, goodness of spices and herbs all the works………….so all you wonderful people are welcome to be part of my Cooking Journey and experience!!!
Hello again……. I am back to talk a bit more about cooking, and the ,……
I have finally got myself to make a posting about my everyday love affair …..cooking, cooking, cooking.
I will try and explain my personal perspective of the nitty-gritty of cooking and all that is involved with cooking a meal. Cooking predominantly satisfies the tummy and also opens the flood gates of olfactory and gustatory senses, but is equally soul satisfying for me, doing more than just filling my tummy!!
We looked in class how we could explain ergonomics and how important ergonomics is to the activity and the person. We divided ergonomics into three components; they are person, activity and environment.
First let me explain briefly what ergonomics actually is. Ergonomics is derived from the Greek words: Ergon, which means work; and Nomoi which means natural laws. Therefore when they are combined together they form a word which means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work.
Ergonomics derives from two Greek words: ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural laws. Combined they create a word that means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work.
Ergonomics is sometimes defined as the science of fitting the work to the user instead of forcing the user to fit the work. However this is more a primary ergonomic principle rather than a definition. As a therapist we have to be very conscious about the overall health and functional abilities of the client in both the home as well as the work environment. “Examples of occupational therapy intervention in ergonomics include: work-site assessments (job analysis, physical demands analysis), return-to-work programs, job accommodation, modification of job tasks and the work environment to promote function, health promotion programs including stress management and injury prevention programs.” ( http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=295 retrieved on 22/09/2011).
Person
· I consider myself quite a confident cook and I am adventurous enough to try out new recipes and also make my own new recipes.
· I have cooked since I was 6 years old and I diligently followed age old recipes and steps that were handed down the generations in my family.
· I am passionate about cooking and I am wholly involved in my cooking.
· I have this great sense of belief and need that all my loved ones, my friends, visitors and stray drop- INS, (uninvited, unwanted, unloved, homeless-humans or animals) must all be fed. Everyone on this earth deserves to have a wonderful, warm and yummy meal. No one should go hungry and craving for food…….. you could imagine, me then…..if you haven’t seen me! That I would be a lovely rosy cheeked, well-fed, round and roly-poly mother with an apron tied round my ample middle………… unfortunately…..(I would have loved that! Something very comforting about that image) I am not. I am quite the opposite!!!
· However, my image doesn’t deter me or make me any less than the well-fed image, I still believe that a loving, caring, comforting home is in the kitchen, and cooking for people is one of the very meaningful activities in my life!!!! (Believe me!! I do try out the food I cook, its just that, I am one of the lucky few, I do not add it to my middle!!)
· Cooking gives me meaning. Cooking gives me a sense of purpose.
· Cooking gives me a role.
· Cooking makes me feel worthy and useful.
· Cooking is a need in me that is deeply ingrained in my being. It is a bridge that has carried me from my past into my present and future……… I reach out to people through cooking and have a sense of belongingness. I have all my senses and abilities intact to be able to cook and try out new recipes. I am able to stand around a long time laboring over the stove and oven. I do not easily tire while I cook. I have cooked for 5 to 6 hours at a stretch and the end result has been very satisfying. The best part is when everyone sits around for the meal and enjoys it.
· Cooking, for me brings cultures together and brings my family together.
Activity
Cooking can be done anywhere…….. You need pots and pans and a fire with the raw ingredients to cook……………..I cook in my kitchen. I have an electric cooking range to cook my food on. I have various pots, pans, frying pans and utensils to cook my food in. I really miss a pressure cooker to cook in as I used to cook in a pressure cooker in the past in India. (Cooking in a pressure cooker has dual purpose. The food is cooked quickly and it saves energy cost as well.) Somehow the food also tastes a lot better as it is cooked under pressure and steam, and therefore it does not lose all its flavor and aroma.
I have cooked in an open fireplace with wood and coal in the past, and the experience is very surreal and primitive. The food smells warm and earthy mixed with the elements of the earth, wood and coal. The whole process is a holistic experience and something I recommend people to do it!
I cook evening meals these days as I am studying during the day. It is a ritual for my family to gather in the kitchen to prepare food and we all pitch in for the cooking activity. We peel, we chop, we, cut, we wash, we fry, we mix the ingredients and we even cry together-due to the pungent onion smell and acid….there is a definite sense of belongingness. We stir and savor the smells together, along with sharing each other’s events of the day and catching up on the hours spent living apart on this planet and sharing ourselves for the betterment (surely not worse off) of other earthlings! It has a very natural flow to what we do in the whole activity. There is an unspoken language that flows while cooking as well, when we don’t use words, we use gestures and intuitions, to create harmonies, like a well-practiced song in a choir. The textures of fresh vegetables and the crunchy carrots, the bright broccoli and the curly cabbage all feel wonderful to touch. It evokes a sense of gratefulness for my life, for our lives, for senses intact, for working hands and fingers, for this wonderful earth we share and all the wonderful amazing things we have been given to enjoy. I don’t believe it should cost the earth to eat healthy. In fact eating healthy should be a very cost effective activity, than buying cooked meals or eating out of cans. Culturally speaking, Indian food is not expensive to prepare, as I cook a lot of lentils and peas and dried beans. It needs a bit of planning and the dry beans and peas have to be soaked overnight, but are cheap and very healthy. New Zealand being a country in the West, there are no great shortages of food and everyone is well fed…although recent statistics show that there are some who go without breakfast and healthy food due to economic restraints. I am one of those lucky few, who are not in this category, as I believe in eating well (not necessarily rich and fancy) but healthy.
Environment:
Kitchen is the hub of all activity….in fact the kitchen is considered the heart, the source of all energy of the house. This is where most of the activity takes place. Of where food is stored, in my house, cooked, the dishes are washed and kept in the cupboards. Even where we eat our meals and hang out. Where I teach my daughter life skills. Where age old legacy is passed down from one generation to another. Even our two cats come and share the space and is definitely one big family of humans and animals finding a common meeting space and pats and purring are all essential for the health of the family! The fridge is one of the big storage of where the goodies that satisfy the tummy are stored, which is a prominent feature of my kitchen. The pantry is just outside the kitchen back door and is very handy as that is where all the spices, canned goods, beans, rice and flour and all the raw goods are stored. Let’s call it the warehouse.
I enjoy the layout of my kitchen and I could find things in it blindfolded and in the dark……..maybe it would be a nightmare to a stranger…..as my kitchen is not predictable and conventional!!!
References:
Dul , J & Weerdmeester (2008) Ergonomics for beginners a quick reference guide 3rd edition,Boca Raton: USA.:Crc press.
Cooking is an age old habit, hobby and automatic gear for me. I have had a lifelong love story with cooking, ……like any love story, mine with cooking has had its ups and down. Its rocky days and its chocolates and roses days literally………….!!! I must admit though that by and by, I have learned to resolve these issues, and like wine matured in a wooden barrel over the years, mine has developed its unique flavor, taste and reflective feelings to it. It is an integral part of who I am and how I identify myself. My cultural beliefs, my personal beliefs and my personality and also my spirituality are all linked with: “to cook, how to cook, when to cook and for whom to cook for .”
I could tell great yarns about my personal journey with cooking,……….not that I am any chef in any competition or any Jamie Oliver of New Zealand or any other master chef advertised in the T.V., but I consider myself a self-made chef and my daughter and family think I am a celebrity, no less……!!! Does my confidence and ego good, the need for human beings to feel accepted, special and successful!!!
How shall I describe myself???!!! Self-reflection in words can be very tricky, and very black and white. It’s easier to ponder and ruminate over matters and reflect in the depth of your mind than weaving a tapestry of words and to top it off to publish it for all and sundry to read about who you are!!
However, I shall try to describe myself closet to who I feel I am in relation to my Cooking activity.
I am a doer or let’s just say that somebody who is in the best of her elements when (she is) I am doing, creating, making, performing something…. Or just being…….. Sounds awfully complicated and philosophical, doesn’t it?
Let me explain to you all in simple words, what cooking means to me at this point of my life stage.
Cooking bridges the gap I feel from my adulthood to my childhood. Cooking evokes happy memories from my past and future seems very tangible and real. It fulfills my yearning for my culture and my country. It meets the need for an end…eating and reaching out to people. ………………….. I could go on and on…….
So by now I think you have guess what activity I am interested in performing…………………and if you haven’t then I will spell it out for you…………… I am Cooking!!! Cooking Soul Food and Cooking Yummy Indian Food with all the aroma, goodness of spices and herbs all the works………….so all you wonderful people are welcome to be part of my Cooking Journey and experience!!!
Hello again……. I am back to talk a bit more about cooking, and the ,……
I have finally got myself to make a posting about my everyday love affair …..cooking, cooking, cooking.
I will try and explain my personal perspective of the nitty-gritty of cooking and all that is involved with cooking a meal. Cooking predominantly satisfies the tummy and also opens the flood gates of olfactory and gustatory senses, but is equally soul satisfying for me, doing more than just filling my tummy!!
We looked in class how we could explain ergonomics and how important ergonomics is to the activity and the person. We divided ergonomics into three components; they are person, activity and environment.
First let me explain briefly what ergonomics actually is. Ergonomics is derived from the Greek words: Ergon, which means work; and Nomoi which means natural laws. Therefore when they are combined together they form a word which means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work.
Ergonomics derives from two Greek words: ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural laws. Combined they create a word that means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work.
Ergonomics is sometimes defined as the science of fitting the work to the user instead of forcing the user to fit the work. However this is more a primary ergonomic principle rather than a definition. As a therapist we have to be very conscious about the overall health and functional abilities of the client in both the home as well as the work environment. “Examples of occupational therapy intervention in ergonomics include: work-site assessments (job analysis, physical demands analysis), return-to-work programs, job accommodation, modification of job tasks and the work environment to promote function, health promotion programs including stress management and injury prevention programs.” ( http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=295 retrieved on 22/09/2011).
Person
· I consider myself quite a confident cook and I am adventurous enough to try out new recipes and also make my own new recipes.
· I have cooked since I was 6 years old and I diligently followed age old recipes and steps that were handed down the generations in my family.
· I am passionate about cooking and I am wholly involved in my cooking.
· I have this great sense of belief and need that all my loved ones, my friends, visitors and stray drop- INS, (uninvited, unwanted, unloved, homeless-humans or animals) must all be fed. Everyone on this earth deserves to have a wonderful, warm and yummy meal. No one should go hungry and craving for food…….. you could imagine, me then…..if you haven’t seen me! That I would be a lovely rosy cheeked, well-fed, round and roly-poly mother with an apron tied round my ample middle………… unfortunately…..(I would have loved that! Something very comforting about that image) I am not. I am quite the opposite!!!
· However, my image doesn’t deter me or make me any less than the well-fed image, I still believe that a loving, caring, comforting home is in the kitchen, and cooking for people is one of the very meaningful activities in my life!!!! (Believe me!! I do try out the food I cook, its just that, I am one of the lucky few, I do not add it to my middle!!)
· Cooking gives me meaning. Cooking gives me a sense of purpose.
· Cooking gives me a role.
· Cooking makes me feel worthy and useful.
· Cooking is a need in me that is deeply ingrained in my being. It is a bridge that has carried me from my past into my present and future……… I reach out to people through cooking and have a sense of belongingness. I have all my senses and abilities intact to be able to cook and try out new recipes. I am able to stand around a long time laboring over the stove and oven. I do not easily tire while I cook. I have cooked for 5 to 6 hours at a stretch and the end result has been very satisfying. The best part is when everyone sits around for the meal and enjoys it.
· Cooking, for me brings cultures together and brings my family together.
Activity
Cooking can be done anywhere…….. You need pots and pans and a fire with the raw ingredients to cook……………..I cook in my kitchen. I have an electric cooking range to cook my food on. I have various pots, pans, frying pans and utensils to cook my food in. I really miss a pressure cooker to cook in as I used to cook in a pressure cooker in the past in India. (Cooking in a pressure cooker has dual purpose. The food is cooked quickly and it saves energy cost as well.) Somehow the food also tastes a lot better as it is cooked under pressure and steam, and therefore it does not lose all its flavor and aroma.
I have cooked in an open fireplace with wood and coal in the past, and the experience is very surreal and primitive. The food smells warm and earthy mixed with the elements of the earth, wood and coal. The whole process is a holistic experience and something I recommend people to do it!
I cook evening meals these days as I am studying during the day. It is a ritual for my family to gather in the kitchen to prepare food and we all pitch in for the cooking activity. We peel, we chop, we, cut, we wash, we fry, we mix the ingredients and we even cry together-due to the pungent onion smell and acid….there is a definite sense of belongingness. We stir and savor the smells together, along with sharing each other’s events of the day and catching up on the hours spent living apart on this planet and sharing ourselves for the betterment (surely not worse off) of other earthlings! It has a very natural flow to what we do in the whole activity. There is an unspoken language that flows while cooking as well, when we don’t use words, we use gestures and intuitions, to create harmonies, like a well-practiced song in a choir. The textures of fresh vegetables and the crunchy carrots, the bright broccoli and the curly cabbage all feel wonderful to touch. It evokes a sense of gratefulness for my life, for our lives, for senses intact, for working hands and fingers, for this wonderful earth we share and all the wonderful amazing things we have been given to enjoy. I don’t believe it should cost the earth to eat healthy. In fact eating healthy should be a very cost effective activity, than buying cooked meals or eating out of cans. Culturally speaking, Indian food is not expensive to prepare, as I cook a lot of lentils and peas and dried beans. It needs a bit of planning and the dry beans and peas have to be soaked overnight, but are cheap and very healthy. New Zealand being a country in the West, there are no great shortages of food and everyone is well fed…although recent statistics show that there are some who go without breakfast and healthy food due to economic restraints. I am one of those lucky few, who are not in this category, as I believe in eating well (not necessarily rich and fancy) but healthy.
Environment:
Kitchen is the hub of all activity….in fact the kitchen is considered the heart, the source of all energy of the house. This is where most of the activity takes place. Of where food is stored, in my house, cooked, the dishes are washed and kept in the cupboards. Even where we eat our meals and hang out. Where I teach my daughter life skills. Where age old legacy is passed down from one generation to another. Even our two cats come and share the space and is definitely one big family of humans and animals finding a common meeting space and pats and purring are all essential for the health of the family! The fridge is one of the big storage of where the goodies that satisfy the tummy are stored, which is a prominent feature of my kitchen. The pantry is just outside the kitchen back door and is very handy as that is where all the spices, canned goods, beans, rice and flour and all the raw goods are stored. Let’s call it the warehouse.
I enjoy the layout of my kitchen and I could find things in it blindfolded and in the dark……..maybe it would be a nightmare to a stranger…..as my kitchen is not predictable and conventional!!!
References:
Dul , J & Weerdmeester (2008) Ergonomics for beginners a quick reference guide 3rd edition,Boca Raton: USA.:Crc press.
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Participation In occuption 2
Hi all,
Welcome back to my blog, of Participation of Occupation 2.
This semester we are exploring one meaningful occupation that we can immerse ourselves and discover a treasure of hidden talents and dormant passions that we were not aware we possessed..............something very hum-drum that may not have put a sparkle to our eyes in the past, will suddenly evoke interest when we view them through different lenses .................................
So come join me in this journey of self- discovery..................................
Saturday, 3 September 2011
Hi everyone.............welcome back to my blog
Blogging is great..............networking and communicating in the virtual world has its many positive aspects...........hope you enjoy my blog................looking forward to connect with your blog too and get enlightened................................................
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