Community

Photograph by Ellen Cosgrove

This time of winter, we all feel sort of strange. We have made it to February, but spring is still so far away. Part of us wants to hibernate and part of us is craving to be around people. Many of us struggle with isolation and feelings of loneliness, but for some reason things always seem harder in the winter.

If we are lucky our community sustains us through these moments. And many of us have several different types of communities in our lives. Whether it is our friend group, our family, our colleagues or our bowling team (people still do that right?). Community is important. No matter how annoying you think other people are, we need each other in order to survive.

How do we define the communities we are part of? And what is the point? At this moment when many people are turning away from organized religion and to social media and technology, are we forming more communities or further isolating ourselves?

In NYC many of us live in one community and work in another. Many of us are in communities that we are changing just by being there. How do we participate in these communities without breaking them?

Food and community tend to go hand in hand and may even help create one another. It takes a interdependent community of people to get our food to our plate and sharing food together is an ultimate act of community. (Also pretty much the point of this project!)

So how do you define community? And what food reminds you of different communities in your lives? Is it your favorite dish from your local restaurant up the street? Do you have a go to recipe you bring to every neighborhood potluck? Or is there a dish you love but have never had the chance to share with others?

Despite craving community, it can be hard to build one when you do not have the structures in place on the daily basis. I miss the effortless community that my previous jobs, school and youth sports teams provided me in my life. Now that I am working in several locations and mainly on my own, I find that I need to put more effort into creating community for myself. The good part is that I get to choose my communities more intentionally instead of belonging just for the sake of it. Belonging may be a basic human need, but it can bring out the worst of humanity. Especially when you want to believe that your community is superior to others and go to great lengths to prove this.

But it is painful to not belong, I feel it everyday. Food has helped me to combat this lonliness. Whether it is wandering around a new country or neighborhood by myself to find a snack or planning nights around the dish I would attempt to create. It is with food that I belong, even if I am cooking for myself. And with this project I am hoping to build a community around food, that anyone can belong too.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best cookie ever (raisins- please stay out of my cookies). And one afternoon recently when I did not know what to do with myself, I baked a bunch of them. Of course they were a real treat for myself but they also were fun to share with my neighbors, friends and co-workers. Cooking them gave me a productive activity and a reason to stop by and talk to people who I had not seen in awhile. It was a good reminder of the community I have in my life. Oh and they freeze well. Just put them the microwave for a few seconds to heat up and enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

The OG recipe full of gluten, sugar and dairy.

Adapted from this recipe at Liv for Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, room temperature (or you can microwave to soften, just don’t over do it!)

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1) In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2) In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on med-high until pale and fluffy (or by hand to get an arm workout).

3) Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition, and beat on high for 1 minute. Add vanilla. Switch lower speed and add flour mixture, mix until combined.

5)Add oats and chocolate chips. Mix by hand with a wooden spoon until just combined.

6) Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment grease with butter wrapper

7) Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough and roll into a ball. If you want larger cookies, just make larger balls and try to make them the same size. Place cookies on baking sheet 2" apart.

8) Bake for approximately 10mins or until edges are lightly browned but center is still soft and unset.

9) Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!