"Always Cook With Love"

This post hails from Little Brook Farm, one of the most peaceful places in the world! It’s a white cottage filled with love, and hugged by the Blue Ridge Mountain range. A river and stream run about it, and so do the chickens. Cute brown cows can be seen eating sweet grass in summer, luscious big blueberries are harvested and made into pies and jams. Herbs are dried and put into jars - I have some in my cabinet at this very moment! In winter friends and family gather around the fire, drinking ale and tea! The Myers family has chosen a simple, slow, and intentional way of life filled with beauty and delight and apart from the modern scurry. This little note is describing the joys and fulfillment of this lifestyle, and is written by Heather Myers, who is my aunt! I admire her because she has a passion and love for people and good, whole, nurturing food. She combines both often, not only in her community with the boys and girls club but also with strangers and friends from far and near! Little Brook Farm also shares their bountiful produce and meat at the farmer’s market! I myself have enjoyed many, many delightful meals grown on Little Brook Farm out on the patio in summer or by the hearth in winter. Enjoy!

From Heather:
 "Ah!  There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort!"  It is remarkable that this statement penned by Jane Austen over 200 years ago still rings true today.  I count it as a precious gift to have been able to be a stay-at-home wife and mother for nearly 30 years.  Making a home a haven of comfort, joy and peace can be a fulfilling job for those who find themselves in a position to do so.

Whether you devote all your time or part of your time to this delightful occupation, there are many ways to make your home a peaceful place.  Several topics come to my mind as I think of ways to achieve this:  Eliminating screens (tv, computer) from the main living areas, drawing strict boundaries with your schedule so social life isn't hurry-scurry, and using natural substances in your abode (wood, leather, stone, pottery, cotton, wool and linen).  But a topic especially near and dear to my heart is nourishing loved ones through food. 

  Here at Little Brook Farm, dinner starts by growing in the garden or grazing in the pastures before eventually ending up on our plates.  Once it is harvested or processed it is time to make the selection of what to prepare. What are the dietary guidelines of the ones who will be eating this meal?  If guests will be present, asking what foods they are avoiding is very helpful to them and can eliminate awkward moments all around. Next comes the preparation.  Setting aside the time to cook and bake unhurriedly can make a big difference in your enjoyment.  If everything is in a flurry and one is distractedly throwing ingredients into a bowl it is not as pleasant in my opinion!  As I chop and stir and sauté and taste, I think about the ones who will eat it, thankful for the part they have in my life.  My middle daughter often joins me at this point and we have many conversations over the soup pot while stirring and seasoning together. 

  The table is the place where everything comes together.  For special occasions, we shake out Great-Grandmother's white tablecloths and use her flowered, delicate china.  We started the morning of our oldest daughter's wedding day this way and it remains a warm memory of bridesmaids' and bride's excitement and joy as they ate breakfast lovingly prepared by two of my dear friends.  More often though, it is an ordinary day which is beautiful in a different way.  The table can be set with simple dishes, cloth napkins and either flowers or a candle as a centerpiece. During the wintertime, we eat in the dining room which has a fireplace.  Summer months find us much of the time outside gathered at a round table on the patio.  Phones are put away, dinner music plays, a blessing said, and then dinner is served.  Everyone has a chance to talk, to discuss, and to listen. Candlelight gives a warm glow as the food slowly disappears. Joyfulness shared, sorrows are cared, kindness we find, lives intertwined.

  I am grateful to have a husband who values this lifestyle and is supportive of my endeavors.  Our youngest daughter oversees the raising of animals and largest gardens, making pasture raised meat and veggies easily available.  Your days and your story most likely look different than mine.  But choosing healthy food, preparing it with care and serving it thoughtfully can happen anywhere.  It can be summed up in one of my favorite sayings, "Always cook with love."

The Modern Gentlewoman asks…

TMG: What are your favorite sights, sounds, smells, feelings, and, of course, tastes, from cooking (and eating) with love? How do you experience love and food with your senses and mind

Heather: Most of the answers to these first questions revolve around actually sitting at the table once a meal is prepared.  There is something almost magical that happens when people gather around a table to eat a meal that has been lovingly cooked.  Candlelight reflected from wine glasses, laughter, wafts of slow roasted goodness, slowly having hunger satisfied all mix to form a delightful evening and are things that are special to me.  I love the flavors of roasted meat and vegetables with plenty of olive oil and herbs, particularly rosemary and thyme.  On the other hand, the preparation of the meal --chopping, stirring, seasoning --with the thought of nourishing people is also a big part of my food love language.

TMG: What is a simple thing any woman could do to bring cooking with love into her life this week?

Heather: One of the simplest meals that many people find delicious is tacos.  The easiest meat to use is ground, although we love the rich flavors of beef or pork that has roasted for hours.  While the meat is cooking, the toppings can be chopped: cabbage, green onions, tomatoes, cheese, lime wedges.  Add a few corn tortillas and put it altogether with a dollop of sour cream for a simple meal that includes all the food groups.  This is a good meal to fix with friends and family who like to help chop.  

TMG: Does little Brook Farm have a favorite meal made with love?

Heather: One meal that I enjoy making is roasted chicken. Starting with a whole chicken that has been raised in our fields, I brine it for several hours and then stuff it with some sprigs of rosemary and half of a lemon.  A drizzle of olive oil completes the preparation and then it's roasted for an hour and a half. A tray of roasted vegetables consisting of mushrooms, sweet potatoes, onions, and broccoli and a salad of baby lettuce harvested fresh from the garden make perfect accompaniments. Either red or white wine is delicious with this meal.  A favorite dessert is apple crisp made of apples from a nearby orchard topped with a mixture of oats, butter and cinnamon. 

I definitely recommend you to pop over and enjoy browsing through Little Brook Farm’s website, http://littlebrookfarmva.com. Perhaps if you live in Virginia you can even bring Little Brook’s beef, pork, produce, or eggs to your own table, especially if you visit them at the Farmer’s Market!

P.S. The cover photo is of Little Brook Farm girls when they were little! Here are some other recent photos from around the farm…