We dedicate September to the exploration of food and drink, acknowledging the joy of trying new cocktails, discovering great restaurants, and supporting local wine regions. This month, we delve into the flavors that teach us about the world, featuring chefs’ insights on eating well while traveling, guidance on choosing ethical food tours, the wonders of ancient indigenous cooking traditions, and conversations with culinary figures.
The journey began on the verdant grounds of The Barn at Mirror Lake, a charmingly rustic ranch nestled amidst Wisconsin’s rolling farmlands. A lighthearted remark about the grazing cows – "Is this lunch?" – sparked a deeper contemplation. While seemingly flippant, the question highlighted a critical disconnect many of us have with the origin of our food and the intricate balance of healthy food webs. A 2017 survey, revealing that a significant percentage of participants believed chocolate milk originated from brown cows or were unaware of its production process, underscores this lack of understanding and connection to our food sources. This is My Intentional Meal.
This detachment stands in stark contrast to the worldview of most indigenous communities, particularly for Chef Elena Terry of the Ho-Chunk Nation. Chef Terry, a dedicated indigenous activist, has committed her life to preserving ancestral seeds and traditional cooking methods. She utilizes her platform to educate others about these ancestral foods, fostering a deeper appreciation for their cultural significance and nutritional value. As I eagerly awaited the meal she was preparing, I anticipated not just a delicious culinary experience, but a transformative opportunity to view my food through a completely new lens. This experience of My Intentional Meal was like no other.
As the meal service began, Chef Terry thoughtfully introduced each dish, sharing her personal journey of reconnecting with her ancestral roots and her tribe’s unique approach to food preparation.
"Being able to help provide those [ceremonial] meals, you naturally learn about these traditional ways of cooking and preparation, and that goes a lot further than technique," she explained. "When we cook in spaces like that, we do it with intention and prayer and this connection to our ancestors and our culture. There’s so much more deep meaning in preparing food in that way, and hope that you’re nourishing someone receiving that meal."
Her words resonated with a sense of sacredness, reflecting the profound respect she held for the ingredients and the intricate processes involved in creating each dish. It instantly instilled in me a more intentional mindset, even before my first bite.
The first course of this remarkable meal was a delicate sage-smoked turkey, accompanied by a vibrant sweet potato salad and cranberries drizzled with a light maple vinaigrette. All the ingredients were locally sourced from within Wisconsin, with the cranberries particularly capturing my attention. Wisconsin, renowned for producing over half of the nation’s cranberries, held a special significance. Tasting these local cranberries in a dish thoughtfully crafted by a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation created a profound sense of connection to the land beneath my feet, a true appreciation of My Intentional Meal.
The second course was a testament to tradition: wild rice, harvested and hand-parched using time-honored methods, paired with an assortment of fresh, seasonal berries. While I had consumed rice countless times before, Chef Terry’s explanation of the harvesting process transformed my perception of this humble grain. She shared that the wild rice I was eating grew only in specific, pristine locations, and that a dedicated harvester embarked on an annual journey with his grandsons, paddling a canoe to gently tap the ripe grains into their vessel.
The very sourcing of this rice demanded such intention, triggering a wave of reflection. I began to question the origins of the rice I typically consumed back home. Who had harvested it? What did the harvesting process entail? I savored each grain on my plate, acutely aware of how little I knew about the food I consumed daily.
The third and final course was a sweet blue cornbread sourced from the Ute mountains. Chef Terry explained that she chose this dish to honor the sweetness of life and the interconnectedness of all things – our relationships with each other and with the Earth. Her words were imbued with a tenderness and love for both the food and the Earth, a sentiment I had never witnessed so vividly. This dish was the perfect representation of My Intentional Meal.
"With the indigenous foods, those connections are now so much deeper because it doesn’t just connect you to the person or the moment that you had, but to all the people that helped provide for that meal," Chef Terry explained. "And in that, it’s also in all the people that share the knowledge on how to care for our foods, that knowledge is preserved. All of that is going into the meal. How could you not be affected with gratitude when you share something like that?"
Chef Terry demonstrated a profound level of intentionality when it comes to food. She not only knew the origin of every ingredient but also the individuals who had harvested them. The palpable gratitude she exuded – not only towards those who had brought the food to her but also towards the ingredients themselves – was an experience I would not soon forget.
As I savored the last bite of my meal, I recognized my time with Chef Terry as a pivotal point in a larger process of unlearning, a reevaluation of my relationship with food, ethics, sustainability, and even my own cultural heritage. Instead of simply eliminating entire food groups, I began to understand the importance of operating from a place of gratitude for the finite resources we have access to. Our relationship with food and the Earth should not be one of simple exploitation but rather a symbiotic partnership, a nurturing exchange that sustains and enriches us. This was the meaning behind My Intentional Meal.
The experience was not just about the food itself, but about the stories, the traditions, and the deep respect for the land that accompanied each dish. It was a reminder that food is not just sustenance, but a connection to our past, our present, and our future. It’s a celebration of the Earth’s bounty and a testament to the power of community.
The lessons learned during that meal extended beyond the plate. They touched upon broader issues of sustainability, cultural preservation, and the importance of understanding our place in the natural world. Chef Terry’s dedication to preserving ancestral seeds and cooking methods is a vital contribution to ensuring the continuation of these traditions for generations to come. Her work is a powerful example of how food can be a vehicle for education, connection, and healing.
This encounter with Chef Elena Terry and the experience of My Intentional Meal served as a potent reminder of the interconnectedness of all things. It highlighted the significance of understanding the origins of our food, appreciating the labor involved in its production, and approaching each meal with intention and gratitude. It’s a lesson that I carry with me, inspiring me to make more conscious choices about the food I consume and to cultivate a deeper respect for the Earth and its resources. It was an experience of My Intentional Meal I will treasure.
