Comments on: Cooking with Monks http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/ simple, global, tasty Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:49:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3596 Eric Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:52:29 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3596 Here's some info about the movie -- it's really worth tracking down: http://tinyurl.com/5fo4yv The same filmmaker, Doris Dorie, made a hilarious movie of two German brothers who go to Japan to study in a zen monastery -- it's called "Enlightenment Guaranteed." I'll write an entire post about pickled fennel soon. Here’s some info about the movie — it’s really worth tracking down:

http://tinyurl.com/5fo4yv

The same filmmaker, Doris Dorie, made a hilarious movie of two German brothers who go to Japan to study in a zen monastery — it’s called “Enlightenment Guaranteed.”

I’ll write an entire post about pickled fennel soon.

]]> By: Jan in nagasaki http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3597 Jan in nagasaki Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:37:11 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3597 eric, I did not know he had a movie. I'll look for it!! thanks for the info. could you please share some recipe secrets about pickled fennel???? eric, I did not know he had a movie. I’ll look for it!! thanks for the info.

could you please share some recipe secrets about pickled fennel????

]]> By: Deno http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3598 Deno Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:42:23 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3598 Eric, I do think you will enjoy this book! ;-) I had to take a look at his chapter on the kitchen/cook argument and acertain that I'm representing it correctly. In fact the three types of cooks are akin to points on a triangle and each is representavice of one of the elements (air, fire, water - earth is the actual kitchen). Every cook posesses these qualities it is when they rely heavily on one aspect balance is compromised and and the trus styles really show. The mindful cook is aware of this and can reflect on this to regain balance. Cronin goes pretty deep here making it an inspitring read for the Zen cook. He also covers some food history and writes about going to the market as a mindful practice. He reminds us that it is not only what you chose, it's also what you don't choose that matters. A major premisis is that posessing an awareness of how one cooks will lead to a free and open (enlightening) relationship with cooking and eating. This is how I see the bell, it forces the mind to wander, unearths awareness, and leads one down the path of enlightenment. Eric, I do think you will enjoy this book! ;-) I had to take a look at his chapter on the kitchen/cook argument and acertain that I’m representing it correctly. In fact the three types of cooks are akin to points on a triangle and each is representavice of one of the elements (air, fire, water – earth is the actual kitchen). Every cook posesses these qualities it is when they rely heavily on one aspect balance is compromised and and the trus styles really show. The mindful cook is aware of this and can reflect on this to regain balance. Cronin goes pretty deep here making it an inspitring read for the Zen cook. He also covers some food history and writes about going to the market as a mindful practice. He reminds us that it is not only what you chose, it’s also what you don’t choose that matters. A major premisis is that posessing an awareness of how one cooks will lead to a free and open (enlightening) relationship with cooking and eating. This is how I see the bell, it forces the mind to wander, unearths awareness, and leads one down the path of enlightenment.

]]> By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3599 Eric Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:08:12 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3599 Deno, the Cronin book sounds right up my alley, and I'd love to take you up on your offer of the extra copy, thanks! And thanks for the link to the review of the book -- really makes me want to read it, and possibly review it here. I seem to be an odd amalgam of all three types of cooks. And Jan, thanks. Mr. Tomato Blessings, Ed Brown, is the grand poobah of Tassajara cooking, his influence is everywhere. Check out his new movie, How to Cook Your Life -- it's great! Deno, the Cronin book sounds right up my alley, and I’d love to take you up on your offer of the extra copy, thanks! And thanks for the link to the review of the book — really makes me want to read it, and possibly review it here. I seem to be an odd amalgam of all three types of cooks.

And Jan, thanks. Mr. Tomato Blessings, Ed Brown, is the grand poobah of Tassajara cooking, his influence is everywhere. Check out his new movie, How to Cook Your Life — it’s great!

]]> By: Jan in nagasaki http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3600 Jan in nagasaki Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:37:53 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3600 i. am. so. jealous. that is so cool!!! I was a cook at a (lutheran) retreat village in the cascade mountains of washington state... summers up to 400-500 people, winters as low as 30 or 40. not vegetarian, but very low on the food chain cooking, fresh bread daily, I totally loved it. please put me on the list to buy your next book which will be all vegetarian breakaway mindful cooking!!!! i can't begin to list my favorite (vegetarian) cookbooks, but "tomato blessings and radish teachings" would be near the top. i. am. so. jealous.

that is so cool!!! I was a cook at a (lutheran) retreat village in the cascade mountains of washington state… summers up to 400-500 people, winters as low as 30 or 40. not vegetarian, but very low on the food chain cooking, fresh bread daily, I totally loved it.

please put me on the list to buy your next book which will be all vegetarian breakaway mindful cooking!!!!

i can’t begin to list my favorite (vegetarian) cookbooks, but “tomato blessings and radish teachings” would be near the top.

]]> By: Deno http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3601 Deno Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:47:21 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3601 As I contemplate this blogpost and the "mindfulness bell" at the monastery I can't help but think of another interesting read called "The Mindful Cook", by Isaac Cronin. In this book he points out that the mindful kitchen is a balance of three types of characteristic kitchens: - A controlled kitchen - very exacting environment with little creativity (akin to your forced 3x/day perception, perhaps) a cook in this environment is in touch with the understands the food - A chaotic kitchen (Cronin calls it the kamikaze kitchen) - this environment has very little control and/or consistency (you may have felt a little of this when you prepared meals for 105p at one time) and is understanding of but not necessarily in touch with the food, - The survival kitchen - cooking in this environment exists because you have to and I tend see this as more forced 3x/day pattern of grazing because I'm not certain cooking is necessary exercise in this type of kitchen, the cook in a survival kitchen is more likely to defrost a TV Dinner or order a pizza. With that set up I wonder how each kitchen would react to the cooking of bacon at the time the bell rings. In a controlled kitchen I could easily see the ringing of the bell to conjure thoughts of how crisp the bacon is and whether another minute might benefit the crispy texture or not. In a chaotic kitchen I could see that the bacon was forgotten and overcooked and possibly smoldering in the oven or on the stove... and well, does the kamikaze cook have a minute to spare for the bell, "excuse me, gotta pull the bacon". And what of the survival kitchen, can we assume that this cook is using precooked, nuke to rewarm product? Is there any actual wakefulness in this kitchen? I really can't say for any one case but these are the thoughts that run through my mind (along with those are other thought that contemplate how the monastic bell would play in Gordon Ramsey's kitchen). But, since I'm stuck here at the office and taking a late lunch, I must say, "it is time for a BLT". Deno P.S. Real Simple review of the book: http://simplystated.realsimple.com/food/2008/03/getting-in-touc.html P.P.S. Eric - I have a spare copy of this book if you wan't it I'll see that you get it... As I contemplate this blogpost and the “mindfulness bell” at the monastery I can’t help but think of another interesting read called “The Mindful Cook”, by Isaac Cronin. In this book he points out that the mindful kitchen is a balance of three types of characteristic kitchens:

– A controlled kitchen – very exacting environment with little creativity (akin to your forced 3x/day perception, perhaps) a cook in this environment is in touch with the understands the food
– A chaotic kitchen (Cronin calls it the kamikaze kitchen) – this environment has very little control and/or consistency (you may have felt a little of this when you prepared meals for 105p at one time) and is understanding of but not necessarily in touch with the food,
– The survival kitchen – cooking in this environment exists because you have to and I tend see this as more forced 3x/day pattern of grazing because I’m not certain cooking is necessary exercise in this type of kitchen, the cook in a survival kitchen is more likely to defrost a TV Dinner or order a pizza.

With that set up I wonder how each kitchen would react to the cooking of bacon at the time the bell rings. In a controlled kitchen I could easily see the ringing of the bell to conjure thoughts of how crisp the bacon is and whether another minute might benefit the crispy texture or not. In a chaotic kitchen I could see that the bacon was forgotten and overcooked and possibly smoldering in the oven or on the stove… and well, does the kamikaze cook have a minute to spare for the bell, “excuse me, gotta pull the bacon”. And what of the survival kitchen, can we assume that this cook is using precooked, nuke to rewarm product? Is there any actual wakefulness in this kitchen? I really can’t say for any one case but these are the thoughts that run through my mind (along with those are other thought that contemplate how the monastic bell would play in Gordon Ramsey’s kitchen). But, since I’m stuck here at the office and taking a late lunch, I must say, “it is time for a BLT”.

Deno

P.S. Real Simple review of the book: http://simplystated.realsimple.com/food/2008/03/getting-in-touc.html
P.P.S. Eric – I have a spare copy of this book if you wan’t it I’ll see that you get it…

]]> By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3602 Eric Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:32:46 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3602 Thanks Casey and Deno! I sometimes look at cooking as the forced, 3x/day practice of seeing how awake I can be for short periods. When you REALLY pay attention to what's happening to the food, you notice stuff that alerts you to what the next actions need to be. Sights, smells, and sounds give out constant clues as to what's happening; being distracted means that you miss a lot of those clues. Thanks Casey and Deno! I sometimes look at cooking as the forced, 3x/day practice of seeing how awake I can be for short periods. When you REALLY pay attention to what’s happening to the food, you notice stuff that alerts you to what the next actions need to be. Sights, smells, and sounds give out constant clues as to what’s happening; being distracted means that you miss a lot of those clues.

]]> By: Deno http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3603 Deno Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:27:33 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3603 For some reason this makes me think of a story Natalie Goldberg told about cooking at the Zen center in her book "Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America". I think it's very(!) cool that you get the opportunity to do this. And congrat's on cooking for such a hefty number of people. Such an undertaking is a unique sort of mindful excersize - a brief journey with an exceptional spiritual reward. In my opinion, mindfulness is an essential ingredient to have at the center of ones cooking. For some reason this makes me think of a story Natalie Goldberg told about cooking at the Zen center in her book “Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America”. I think it’s very(!) cool that you get the opportunity to do this. And congrat’s on cooking for such a hefty number of people. Such an undertaking is a unique sort of mindful excersize – a brief journey with an exceptional spiritual reward. In my opinion, mindfulness is an essential ingredient to have at the center of ones cooking.

]]> By: casey http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/04/21/cooking-with-monks/comment-page-1/#comment-3604 casey Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:53:54 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=106#comment-3604 How subtle, yet delicious, those dishes sound! How subtle, yet delicious, those dishes sound!

]]>