Stop and Smell the Bacon

Part of what I love most about being a Brainfood volunteer is the way in which each of my five senses is piqued every week.

Most obviously, my sense of taste comes into play – how could it not with all of the mouth-watering delicacies prepared by Brainfood participants? Of course, the wafting smells emanating from the warm oven and bubbling stovetop tickle my nose and tantalize my stomach well before the first divine bite of food dances across my tongue.

My eyes rarely deceive me, but I will admit to being skeptical on occasion. How will these aspiring foodies handle a slab of raw duck breast, orange zest, and vinegar?  But, lo and behold, I stand back and watch as a pile of lonely ingredients is finessed by well-practiced hands, chopping, stirring, chiffonading, and folding into one another until – voila!- duck a l’orange is on.

The texture of food is one of the most difficult variables to control – but one that constantly comes into play at Brainfood. It requires great skill and patient practice to create the perfect batter, lumpless mashed potatoes, or rich, velvety cheese sauce (had to sneak in a comment about cheese – many of you know it holds a special place in my heart).

And, perhaps less palpable, but no less important in my mind are the sounds of a bustling kitchen at work – the whir of the blender, the sizzle of hot oil hitting the frying pan, the simple crack of an egg. And not to be overlooked are the gaggles of laughter, recitations of ingredient lists, shouts across the room to “grab another stick of butter,” and general hum of diligent chefs tackling the day’s recipe.

Taste, smell, sight, touch, hearing – five important senses that we use day and day out in all aspects of our lives – but how often do we stop and take stock of them? At Brainfood, students not only “stop and smell the bacon” (may as well take a foodie slant on the old adage about roses…), but they pause to think about the food they are preparing, and, more than just the food, the life skills they are building in the process. Because at Brainfood, it isn’t just about the food. It’s about building relationships, solving problems, thinking critically, and making good decisions. So, in addition to my five senses being stimulated each week, my heart is warmed, my mind opened: Brainfood students have impressed me in many more than five ways. As this season of Brainfood draws to a close, I am confident that all of the aspiring foodies with whom I have worked will take a bit of what I see as the “Brainfood Way” with them – take a whiff of the bacon, build a colorful pizza, knead the bread, listen to the pan sizzle…and eat happily.

-Sara Yonker, weekly volunteer at Columbia Heights location