What do you hold in your hands?
MY ORIGINAL PLAN today was to update the blog by providing one of the recipes that I made for my father’s birthday lunch. Birthdays are joyous occasions, and it’s appropriate that we celebrated. But in the midst of celebration, it’s important to keep a global perspective, too.
The day before my father’s birthday, tragedy struck tens of thousands in the form of an earthquake that has devastated Haiti. In the face of this, it simply feels too indulgent to continue to write, without pause, about the bounty of food in my comfortable kitchen—a kitchen equipped with all the running water (hot and cold) that I could wish for and a gas stove to provide heat for cooking. Warmth and the aromas of nourishing food prevail here, while elsewhere in the world, there is “water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.”
So, instead of posting a recipe today, I wanted to take a minute to ask myself (and you): What do you hold in your hands? What gifts have you been given? Do you have access to natural and other resources? Do you enjoy health, family, a roof over your head and food on your table?
Even if you think you have little, you might consider that there are always people who have much less. I don’t wish to presume or to preach, but certainly this is true if you have the luxury of reading this post. All over the world, too many people are lacking the basic survival requirements of food, water, shelter, and medical attention.
Lots of organizations are working hard to help on the ground in Haiti (and elsewhere). An interesting article from the Christian Science Monitor talks about how when tragedy strikes in developing nations, it is even more crucial to get support in the form of donations rolling in quickly. The article points out that because of the difficulty of transport in a time of crisis, the best path to helping is to donate money to a trusted agency that can convert the funds into whatever is needed, on location. The Monitor also provides a list of seven ways to give. There you’ll find contact information and links to: the American Red Cross, CARE, Concern Worldwide, Direct Relief International, Mercy Corps, Oxfam America, and World Vision.
In addition to those mentioned above, the following agencies are also in need of funds to continue their humanitarian efforts:
- Action Against Hunger
- Doctors Without Borders
- UNICEF
- United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP)
- Yéle Haiti
Here at Feeding the Saints, recipes will return soon. But for now, I’m going to make a promise and a request:
For each comment (not spam) that this post receives in the next 36 hours through the end of the night on MONDAY, JANUARY 18, I will give $1.00 above my planned donation toward relief in Haiti. I’ll give $2.00 for a comment that shows you’ve read any other post on the blog. ;-)
Update [Jan 16]: a friend and colleague in all things editorial, Gina Frangello of OV BOOKS, has just offered to match the donations here, so your comments will have a double impact.
Update [Jan 19]: all comments have been counted as a $2.00 donation. You can read the results and see a donation receipt in my Thank You post.
Please, especially if you yourself are not in a position to donate funds at this time, leave a comment and saintly prayer for those who need it.
And forgive me if I can’t keep up with personal thanks for your comments—you know you have my gratitude, each one of you.
Thank you.
[Photo credit: Image by m_bartosch/FreeDigitalPhotos.net]
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Great Allison !
I didn’t know your blog and your culinary talents… though I met you through a food fair…
Thanks for what you are doing for Haïti !!!
Every dollar is a dollar towards a better tomorrow for Haiti, many thanks Alison. Love the blog – we should talk, I think it’s time to update and move the UNIS cook book to the web.
Thank you for your generosity. I was excited to find out about your blog and LOVE the cake project!
What do I hold in my hands? My children, husband, family and friends. Our health!! My beautiful, wonderful memories of those here with me and of those who have passed on. Blessings. . . many, many blessings.
Thank you for doing this! I donated through the American Jewish World Service and am praying too.
Hello Allison.
I hope it’s not too late !
A good idea !!
A kiss to the familly
Laurence
I am possibly the world’s least likely reader of Allison’s blog — I don’t cook, I can’t claim to be either gourmet or gourmand, I’m not even a family man. But I read “Happy Birthday, Dad,” because even I can follow that, and I applauded “Epiphany” because she can casually drop in a line like: “I’ll admit a personal gain that made baking my first galette worthwhile: named queen to my son’s king (forget Freud for the moment), I got to reign in glory for the rest of the evening…” I check out the blog because Allison can write. And the lovely impulse behind this commitment to helping the helpless of Haiti is a recognizable Allison trait.
Hi Allison! Thanks for doing this! What a great idea! I have been enjoying reading your blog and can’t wait to hear the outcome of this endeavor. Cheers to you and thanks again! Dandi
Dear Allison,
Although we just met, I knew we would would be friends. I have not had the privilege to read your blog, but feel lucky to be a part of this. I have given and will give more to Haiti. An organisation that already was on ground in Haiti since many years and that works desperately to help the people is PIH, http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti. Best of luck and I hope that many people around the world will feel inspired by your thinking.
Best Catarina R Dolsten
Very generous and thoughtful.
Allison, a wonderful blog, you must come to the North Fork and experience our Greek enclave! What a generous gesture in support of Haiti, thank you!
Allison,
Thank you for doing this. The gifts I have been given are too numerous to list here–but my family and health are among them. One of the greatest gifts of all is being able to help others, which you are doing. By the way, I think I need to make your mac and cheese for my girls. Looks wonderful!
RoseMarie
Dear Allison,
what a great idea. We enjoy the Galette des Rois and all the other beautiful recipes, that you write about and people in Haiti suffer after the horrible earthquake. I defenitly support your efforts. The part about the cake was quite interesting. I just found out about its history as well.
Ulrike
Wow, thank you so much. I want to include a link to your blog and the rest of the food blogs that are doing this on a post that I wrote on how to increase or even match the donations that people make to Haiti. I included a list of companies, schools and individuals that are matching donations to help out in Haiti (thereby doubling the donation), bloggers that are donating to the relief efforts based on the number of comments they receive, and even unconventional ways to give such as how to donate airline miles. But you food bloggers are so impressive, I included one already in my current post, and that lead me to the rest of you; so I will be updating the post soon at: http://thescholarshipblog.blogspot.com/ . Thanks again. I plan on giving to Doctors without Borders or the Salvation Army because I just figured where to go to get my donation matched.
The saints are watching you Allison — your sentiment, and concern to help Haiti through the joy of this space is completely characteristic of your humanity. Thanks for taking such an abundant lead, and for helping all of us focus on all we do hold in our hands. Further, today looks like a perfect day for the
Demeter and Persephone salad :)Thanks for sharing…and this is my new favorite blog!
Thanks for helping with the relief effort. I still can’t wrap my brain around this tragedy.
May God walk with you as you endeavor to help ease the pain of the people of Haiti. And may god bless you and your family. You are such a special and talented lady, Allison. Thank you!
Enjoyed your piece about cooking with Q. It’s the first time I’ve ever left a reply on a blog – in fact I don’t even know if I’m doing it correctly. I imagine you’ll tell me, Ms. P.
Great idea – every $ can help!
Furthermore, i enjoy your blog – the franco/greco culture hits home.
Looking forward to learning how to make the holiday bread with or without the bright red egss (before easter rolls around!)
Galette des Rois, and lentilles for the New Year – have a place in our house too -
I hold my children, my lovely adopted daughters, my gifts from God in my hands. I hold my faith, I hold my love for my husband, I hold my love for Haiti and all those I met there.
Thank you for doing this.
Hello Fal,
That’s how I know you…how I have always known you. A young teenage girl finding her way. Look at you now!
You found your way. Knew you as a multi-talented girl now a multi-talented lady. Keep up the clever writing.
Hi Alison – what an amazing and generous idea. I am so glad to help in whatever way I can. Hope to see you soon.
Sending prayers of hope and help.
Thanks Allison
Hey Allison–guess I’m costing us both money by commenting again, ha, but just checked back and am so excited by how many comments you’ve gotten! Another 24 hours to go!
Hope you’ve had a great long weekend.
Thank you, Allison – as if I didn’t already think you are amazing, this seals the deal.
Thank you, Allison.
Thoughtful as always, Allison. Kudos.
I’m glad I caught this. Thank you, Allison, for bringing compassion into my home.
Thanks!! Great idea!
I’m so glad I followed Jamie Clarks advice and went to your blog tonight!! What an angel you are setting this up! It has inspired me to give a donation to the Red Cross..I hope we can all come together and help…
Thank you for shining a light on positive ways to help with a tragedy that most of us able to read a post such as this can hardly comprehend the most superficial aspects of. I have been praying for, in addition to the rest of Haiti, the father of a close, longtime friend of mine. We were all relieved that he was finally contacted yesterday afternoon, having been dug out relatively early and, being a man of the cloth, has been working fervently to do what can be done. Alas, my friend’s 21-year old cousin perished in the earthquake, and of course there are countless relatives yet to be accounted for who may never be found. Such is the pain of such a terrible reality as a disaster in such a desperately poor nation.
Again thanks for getting the word out, with such a positive message useful information and such creative ideas.
I couldn’t find a way to incorporate this better, so I’ll just tell you not to worry, with such a creative and thoughtful parent, I’m sure at least some part of your son will always want to hang out with you. If he ends up like me when I was young, this part was often my stomach.
Again thank you for what you are doing, and lets all remember that Haiti will likely need our help and support for a long time to come.
Trace, I thought your comment deserved an open response (which is another $1 in the kitty; $2 if you count Gina Frangello’s promise to match). Things around here–on this blog–have become so deeply personal in the past few days, in a very positive way with all the comments; I’m a bit overwhelmed, in a good way. But it’s especially chilling to learn of a personal link to the devastation in Haiti. I’m so sorry for your friend’s loss. Such a young life crushed, and the others who may or may not be found. I’m glad that your friend’s father is surviving. Reading your words, I’m sending out extra thoughts of hope and renewal to Haiti in your name and on behalf of your friend’s family.
Alison,
I just returned home and read your blog. I am sitting here in awe… Bless you for all that you are doing.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all in Haiti. It is so very important that we join forces and help in whatever way we can. And please let us also keep in our prayers the many families throughout the world who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy.
Every little bit helps. Good luck hitting your comments goal!
Incidentally, a friend of mine who studies Haiti as a geography professor and has spent some time in Haiti has posted some first-hand accounts of the earthquake and its aftermath and some links to a few good places to donate – http://anna-in-haiti.blogspot.com.
What a wonderful and caring idea to donate. Sorry I couldn’t get here earlier, I hope there’s still time for this.
I was going through the comments and I saw one from your dad. It reminded me of my own dad (passed away recently), so much like him. Doesn’t it feel nice when your parents appreciate you?
To all,
A very heartfelt thank you. Many of your words touched me deeply, and also just your presence here in this space. While my fundraising effort has drawn to a close for now (Anis, I’m still counting your comment as the 142nd), I’m leaving the comment function open on this post, should anyone wish to continue the conversation, thoughts, or prayers for Haiti.
In short order I’ll be putting up a post to update everyone on the funds you’ve helped raise and where they’re going. Again, thank you—I am so thrilled at the number of comments, especially given how new the blog is.
With a final thought for the Haitian people and those who are in Haiti doing their best to help: May the recovery, though surely not a swift or easy process, be complete, and may you find strength, comfort, and aid to make it safely through that journey.
~ Allison
Hey Allison,
I’m so glad to learn about your blog, even if it’s because of such horrible circumstances. I’ve already made a donation to Doctors without Borders and hope to get one made to the Red Cross as well after my paycheck gets deposited. I’m so thankful that I can at least do that small bit. It’s situations like the one in Haiti (and last year in China, and the year before that Pakistan, and before that Thailand, New Orleans, etc.) that make so appreciative of my family, my friends, and my extended support network that are my emotional and psychological supports and reminders of my good fortune. But I’m also thankful for having other resources such as some extra money in the bank, an education, a roof over my head, and job with health insurance, etc. It’s hard as Americans with so much (even those of us with comparatively little by some American standards) to comprehend what others such as those in Haiti are experiencing right now, but I do hope that even without being able to imagine the reality, that we can still find ways to give. That you’re offering this very easy and economically feasible way is wonderful. Thank you.
Martha
P.S. Where would one find mastiha in North Carolina? I’ve never heard of it before, but I’m intrigued now and thinking about how I might use it.
Martha, you’re so right in all you say here. Thanks for making your comment, and for your own donation to Doctors Without Borders.
As for the mastiha . . .
Definitely seek it out. You might be able to find some locally if there are any Greek Orthodox churches near you—often, where there’s a GO church, then there’s a large enough community of Greeks to support a Greek grocery. The ingredient is also used in Middle Eastern cooking, so you can try in those markets, too. If there’s nothing local, then you can order online directly from the MastihaShop. Here’s a link to the page that sells the raw ingredient (I’d buy the powder to start, as it’s easier for busy cooks. It’s listed as “Chios Mastiha Cooking Powder” to distinguish it from the powdered homeopathic formula): http://www.mastihashopny.com/default.php?pname=CategoryItems&cat_id=1&la=2&page=2&la=2
I hope you do explore the incredible range of uses of this unique spice. Let me know how your kitchen adventures go! Thanks again for your comment.
oh I did…well am doing the same thing on my blog, don’t think I’ll get to the 100s but my thoughts are with all those in Haiti
Hello Allison,
I just popped over after reading your comment at http://www.dinnerwithjulie.com . . . The Kooler Than Kool Aid post. I’m thrilled with YOUR site, great pictures and inventive recipes. Consider me a new follower! Such wonderful response from the food blogger community in aid of Haiti. I’ve donated a watercolor of red grapes (suitable for foccacia?) for the foodie art auction coming up first week in February on Julie’s site. Hope we raise a goodly amount.
Thanks, Vivian. I’m so glad you stopped by the blog and enjoyed your visit here. I will have to check out the foodie art auction—and your painting!—especially since I hadn’t yet found that aspect of the project. Like you, I hope a lot of money is raised. I think what Julie is doing is fabulous.
For those who don’t know about it yet, if you happen to be reading this comment thread: definitely follow the link provided by Vivian and watch for the auction. “Dinner with Julie” is a neat blog (its link is also in my blogroll) and she’s got a great cookbook project underway to raise money to aid the recovery in Haiti. Well worth your time to check it out, and I will also be trying to figure out how to get more involved.
Vivian, thanks again for commenting and for becoming my latest follower! :-)
Allison