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Gina DiMartino

~ An Asheville Foodie, Writer, Creator & Dreamer

Gina DiMartino

Tag Archives: Shauna Niequist

Cooking through Bread & Wine

15 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

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Bread & Wine, Life around the table, Shauna Niequist

Last week Brighton and I went to see The Hundred Foot Journey. A movie about French cuisine, delicious Indian food, tension between cultures, class and style. Throughout all the tension and struggles there were BEAUTIFUL shots of food and a great storyline. It ended with a meal around a table embracing both cultures, people and food. See it. Its amazing.

We walked out of the theater, stomachs growling: demanding savory foods to satisfy their cravings. The next day we were at Mela’s, devouring a delicious Indian buffet for lunch. Fingers messy. Ripping pieces of naan, soaking up butter chicken and tikka masala with Basmati rice, while sipping warm chai. Delicious.

I started thinking. I need to cook more. I need to branch out more. I get in a cooking rut. I make grilled chicken. Then grilled chicken with salad. Then grilled chicken with a different marinade and rice. Then Thai curry chicken. And sometimes to switch it up I make hamburgers. And I’m better than that. Food is meant to be enjoyed. And savored. Not whipped up and scarfed down. I’m a good cook. I need to embrace it more.

So here’s my idea. It’s not a new idea. Or an original one. But its small, doable, and a good step towards my next new idea which I will share with you later. I am going to read through Shauna Niequist’s Bread & Wine again. I’ve read it multiple times, and even have the audio book. But I’m going to work through it again. This time creating every recipe. Learning all the steps. I’m going to learn how to make risotto, and mousse, and bread. I’m going to learn what exactly a cassoulet is. Because I have no idea. And I’m going to make each recipe mine. And then, I’m going to share it with you!

Shauna tells a story about journalist, Daniel Duane cooking with Thomas Keller, one of the great American chefs. “Keller told him to make the recipe once according to the instructions. The second time, he told Duane to rewrite the recipe in his own terms, adjusting for his taste, cutting out or adding steps according to what made sense to him. The third time, Keller said to make it without any recipe at all, just by his memory and tastes and hands. And at that point, he said, ‘The recipe is yours.'”

I’m going to follow these steps. Make the recipes mine. Have some amazing dinner parties, lots of champagne, and hopefully be a better cook at the end of it. There are 29 recipes. So I figure this will take me about two months. I will make all these and blog about them and share pictures. Hopefully add a guest blogger or two to keep things exciting. And then at the end of two months, I will share my fabulous idea for the next challenge!

Bread & Wine recipes COMING SOON!

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If you want to purchase Bread & Wine and cook along with me, click here!

Here’s Daniel Duane’s article about Thomas Keller. I thought it was pretty interesting.

I wrote a book review before Bread & Wine was released. To read that, click here.

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Shauna Niequist

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

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Tags

Bostonmarathon, Bostonstrong, Bstrong, Shauna Niequist

So this is one of the most amazing things that has happened to me throughout all this crazy bombing/hospital/rehab/leg cast situation. Famous people have been visiting all the victims. Red Sox players, Celtics, Patriots, the President, Kevin Spacey, Bradley Cooper…Anyway, my sister emailed Shauna Niequist, who is one of my favorite authors and explained to her our situation, and she made this video for me and sent me a package full of cards and goodies from Chicago. (I haven’t gotten the package yet as this rehab place is over protective and won’t let us get any mail) But I am SO excited to see what is in it!

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to review Shauna’s new book Bread & Wine. You can see the review here. I love her writing. She is an inspiration to me and it is just the coolest thing that she sent me this video. The body of Christ is amazing. And I’m so glad she’s my “sister”.

Password for the video is Gina (capital G)

Bread & Wine: A love letter to life around the table with recipes by Shauna Niequist

09 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

book review, Bread & Wine, gluten free, good recipes, Shauna Niequist

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Bread & Wine: A love letter to life around the table with recipes

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’” Luke 22:19-21

The last supper, the first communion. Every time we come together to break bread and drink wine, a remembrance of the gospel. A symbol of Christ’s sacrifice made on our behalf. Bread. Wine.

This book was enchanting.  Shauna accentuates the connection between bread and wine and communion and Jesus body and blood and the table and food in our everyday lives. Some of my favorite things in life are reading and cooking so imagine a book full of great life stories, and recipes! I am the type of person who will read a cookbook cover to cover and study each recipe and technique.

I loved all the elements of this book. I have read Shauna’s other two books and really enjoyed them. I love her energy, and the simplistic style of her writing. She writes so raw. So honest. So down to earth. She shares stories from her life without reservation. She’s not afraid to be vulnerable or to be human. Mistakes and all.

She shares: “What’s becoming clearer and clearer to me is that the most sacred moments, the ones in which I feel God’s presence most profoundly, when I feel the goodness of the world most arrestingly, take place at the table. The particular alchemy of celebration and food, of connecting people and service what I’ve made with my own hands, comes together as more than the sum of their parts. I love the sounds and smells and textures of life at the table, hands passing bowls and forks clinking against plates and bread being torn and the rhythm and energy of feeding and being fed.”

Most chapters ended with a recipe that tied it all together. It made me feel like I got to enjoy an amazing dish while hearing a great story. Visiting with a friend who was sharing her day with me while we ate steamy risotto, or mac and cheese, or mango chicken curry.

I also appreciated that most of the recipes in the book were healthy and included a gluten-free option.  As I try to eat gluten-free this is huge for me! There is not one recipe that I will not try. I am excited to dive into this book again and cook the recipes as I go along.  I hope you pick up a copy. Stop by the grocery store. Invite some friends over. Read these stories and cook some great food. Enjoy the bread, the wine, the fellowship, and the remembrance of what Christ has done in your life.

Getting ready for bread & wine

28 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

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Tags

Bread & Wine, Shauna Niequist

Loving this book so far. So excited for it!

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