Article
Book Review: The Surprising Power of Family Meals
The following article was submitted by Maggie Richardson, proprietor of Oracles Book Shop in St. Thomas
(556 Talbot Street, 519-631-2088). You can find her website at
www.oraclesbookshop.com.
Some of the selections I make for the book shop are books with a subject matter that I hope will make people think. This particular book was one that I thought would do just that. The Surprising Power of Family Meals, by Miriam Weinstein is a book which has a very simple message. It looks at the value and benefit of taking the time to sit down for a meal as a family, bringing individuals together as a unit. Weinstein writes “Sharing meals helps cement family relationships, no matter how you define family.”
Much of what we do in life today creates separateness and being an “individual” is something that is celebrated in society. We need to have relationships and bonds with others and a family meal can help us do that. The world moves at a very frenetic pace and, as Weinstein writes, “Who has time for supper?” She explains that, “We all do...but we are living in a time when the social fabric is fraying, and supper is one of the few habits that has not yet disappeared from memory.” She notes the importance of ritual and how it provides us with a “stop-time” feeling. Years ago when it was time for supper, everything stopped. Nothing was scheduled for that time and we all gathered as a family; that time together was considered sacred and untouchable. Today Weinstein notes that “family time is no longer privileged by society.”
The family ritual of having supper together has great healing power. Weinstein notes, “The rise of the hormone oxytocin after a meal is linked to feelings of calm and connection. [...] Supper is a small daily treat we give ourselves. If we are frantically busy, it’s a time to slow down. If our days are solitary and slow, a sociable meal can bring a welcome stimulus.” We have many things going on in our lives that are demanding and ever changing, but the family meal can be that one block of time in the day that will be consistent. Time set aside for the family to be together and exchange thoughts, ideas and conversation. The family meal is a large part of what makes a house a ‘home’. “Without meals a home is just a place to stay,” writes Weinstein. “Meals provide us all with reliable access to food, and they provide children with dependable access to their parents and to caring.”
The underlying message of the book is “family” and the supper meal is the one time each day that family can be nurtured along with each individual. Weinstein writes, “the goal is creating and reinforcing a secure place for your loved ones in a society that can seem awfully uninterested in human needs.” We all want to have that place for ourselves and our loved ones and yet our priorities seem to lead us elsewhere. Many of us are over-stressed and over-scheduled and the family meal seems to be one of the first casualties of life as a family. Its importance though cannot be stressed enough.
Weinstein writes with passion and conviction about the importance of this simple and so very important aspect of family life. She not only looks at how we have so easily let go of this ritual and the impact that it has had, but also looks at strategies to bring it back to the forefront of our family life. The Surprising Power of Family Meals will hopefully allow us to rethink our on-the-go meals and have us all sit down together and share time as a family.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals, by Mariam Weinstein is published by Steerforth Press (2005).
The Horton Market in St. Thomas, started in 1878, has sprung to life with the rejuvenation efforts of the city, board and producers in the last few years. It opens each year in May with the first delectable treats of spring, and then builds momentum with ever-changing seasonal offerings each week.
Renovation of the market building with refrigerators has added more space and possibilities. Farmgate Markets, Oegema Turkey Shoppe and Frisa Farm Eggs now sell more perishable items.
Plants, hand-crafted items and baked goods round out the offerings of delectable produce. Now, as in the past, the market creates opportunity for producers to market their products, the public to connect with them and for community-building.
The basic concept of the market is the same now as it was in 1878. It provides a short route from farm to table, with the consumer providing direct compensation to the farmer. Market Manager Tricia Herbert recognizes, however, that the world in which the 2009 Horton Market operates is vastly different than that of the Horton Market of 131 years ago.
Tricia is devoted to developing the market to reflect today’s world. She notes, that “as we continue to re-define the terms local, sustainable, producer-based, and healthy eating, the boundaries of our local market shift. The focus on these themes and others changes quickly, largely because today we have immediate access to so much information. This means we have to educate ourselves and question our own values constantly.”
That’s some food for thought to add to your market basket this summer. Why is “local” important to you? How would you like your market to grow? Let Tricia know. For weekly updates, visit the Horton Market blog at www.hortonfarmersmarket.blogspot.com. There’s also a market newsletter that you can receive by email - sign up at the market (Saturdays 8am to noon).
Market goers at the Horton Farmers’ Market load their goodies into a variety of environmentally friendly carriers—cloth bags, bins, rolling carriers. The people with baskets, though, seem to be the ones most enjoying their market experience—Provence style!
Left: Maggie Richardson and Donna LeCourtois
Things are heating up for the people who bring you the cold ones made in St. Thomas. Railway City Brewing is making their mark in St. Thomas and beyond. In May, Ontario MPPs voted in the most popular representatives of Ontario’s Craft Brewing industry. The tasting event was hosted by Hon. Steve Peters, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Railway City Brewing’s Amber Ale was picked the favourite in the “Malty Dark Lager or Ale” category. The seven category winners become the ‘official beers’ of Ontario’s Legislative Assembly.
Following close on the heels of this honour, the LCBO began to stock the brewery’s Iron Spike Blonde Ale in several stores in southwestern Ontario. Until now the Iron Spike ales have been available only at the brewery and at several pubs. You can continue to pick up the Blonde, Copper and Amber Ales, as well as a new Light version, at the brewery—it’s always a great place to pop in for a sample or look around.
Railway City recently paired up with “Les Noiracochon,” an award-winning barbecue team with truckloads of trophies, who compete nationally and internationally. You can find the first sampling of their delicious Railway City barbecue creations, including Blonde Brined Pork Chops, on the Railway City website.
Railway City Brewing is located at 168 Curtis Street in St. Thomas. They’re open 7 days a week for the summer. Call 519.631.1881 for information or to book a tour. You can find the recipe above and others from Les Noiracochon at www.railwaycitybrewing.com.
Wonderful products, fun and education all come together at Clovermead Bees & Honey. Gift shop, heritage buildings, fields of wildflowers, the Bee Discovery Station, tours for school groups and visitors all combine to create a sweet honey experience. The Bee Beard Festival on July 25th and Honey Harvest Festival (first three Saturdays in September) are both popular family-centred events that celebrate bees and honey.
The gift shop and settlement have undergone several creative additions and updates in recent years and the Hiemstras have been recognized for their innovative agri-food strategies. They were named Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers in 2008 and also received a Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence in the same year.
The Hiemstras are third-generation beekeepers. Chris and Christy Hiemstra have made Clovermead such a fun place that it’s easy to forget that the bees don’t do all the work. Running the shop, settlement and tending 20 bee yards placed around farmers fields (about 22,000 acres worth) keeps the Hiemstras as busy as their staff of 24 million bees. It also demands an in-depth knowledge of the science of bees, honey production and the life of the hive. The work of these modern day beekeepers requires innovation and business skills related to honey extraction equipment and methods, commercial bee pollination services and commercial bee pollen, retail, marketing and education.
Like most agricultural production, there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye. The end-product though is simple—good food, locally made. Each flower has a unique nectar and each of the resulting honeys has its own distinct aroma and flavour. Drop in and find your favourite. Will it be Summer Blossom, Sweet Clover, Wild Blueberry, Golden Rod…Mmmmmm.
Photos (top to bottom): Chris Hiemstra tending to the bees; Chris Hiemstra judges the contestants' beards at the Bee Beard Festival; One of the friendly farm animals at Clovermead; The Clovermead Settlement Attraction
Clovermead Bees & Honey is located at 11302 Imperial Road N (Hwy #73), just north of Aylmer. Contact them at 519-773-5503 or visit www.clovermead.com.