Cosmic Muffin: Before and After

I’ve been thinking a lot about before and afters lately. I’ve realized the space between the two can be as deep and wide as the Panama Canal, a 427 mile long, 55 mile wide, man-made wonder of the world. Which by the way seems to be on the Conde Nast Hot List, and why not? With cuisine reflective of the Spanish, American and Afro-Caribbean influences, one has to only close their eyes and imagine the delight of being presented with a robin’s egg blue plate, framing a crispy fried corn tortilla topped with mildly spiced shredded beef. Should this plate be served to the vacationing recipient on a warm and balmy morning, the only sounds heard would be the lapping of ocean waves and the buzzing of humming bird wings, the dish would be crowned with a perfectly soft boiled egg, mimicking the bright yellow, rising sun. Of course lunch would likely be the traditional sancocho. The Panamanian version of chicken soup, almost a stew really. The chicken is slow cooked in a simple broth, then stirred with a wooden spoon while adding corn, rice, and exotic herbs such as culantro along with a starchy root known as name, (accent on the e).

Or the change between the before and after can as imperceptible as the gait of a Galapagos tortoise. 250, (females), to 500 pounds, (males), of ancient reptile, averaging 16 hours of rest and relaxation per day. Periodically they open their eyes and meander around in search of munchies, such as cactus, grasses and fruits. Though I would never, ever consider using these treasured Testudines, they do bring to mind another favored first course . . . turtle soup. Specifically my go-to recipe the rich and somewhat spicy version offered in New Orleans. It starts with a well-balanced, dark roux then the holy trinity and fresh herbs. This soup is also slow-cooked, (at a snail’s pace – oh! another delectable creature living within a protective shell), about a pound and a half of diced turtle meat, a splash of sherry, and there you have it. Don’t wrinkle your nose until you’ve tried it my friend, the flavor can only be described as soft and salivating, with just a little kick in between.

But back to my fixation on before and afters. Whether the transition is as demonstrative as rising bread dough or the slow progression used when curing bresaola, the results are consistent. What we end up with afterward is very different from what was before. Before I was kind of chubby. After my diet I was thinner. Before I was married. After my divorce I wasn’t. Before, when I was younger I thought I knew everything. After I turned fifty-something, I realized I didn’t really know anything. This brings to mind the ongoing shift from before and after for my students at the youth center. I don’t know anything about their lives before they came to the center, except there was a wide variety of epicurean knowledge when I arrived. Now after six years of monthly group gatherings, I know the students that have passed through here can better feed themselves and those they care to share with.

This past week our lesson was focused on fresh produce as it comes to our kitchen from the market. Providing my group with a balance of some common and a few less familiar greens we embarked upon the task of making salads. We discussed how it is still only lettuce, until we use it to make a salad. My students excitedly inhaled the grassy scent of Kale, Romaine, Chinese snow peas and a rainbow of bell peppers. They julienned, sliced and small diced fresh carrots, scallions, English cucumbers and strawberries. They minced fresh garlic and blended seasonings to doctor up bottled dressings. And finally, these most creative of culinarians, set about filling their plates, cups or bowls with their vision of a compound or composed salad. One young man assembled an eye-pleasing deconstructed salad without even realizing it. But after seeing what he did, everyone learned the details of deconstructed salads, (and desserts).

With only a brief demonstration and a few dollars’ worth of produce my amazing students engaged in a lesson that integrated food with art. Before we started our group that morning, most were only familiar with iceberg lettuce and huge bowls of compound salads. After our one hour lesson, every one of them had created a feast for the eyes and nutrition for the body. I don’t know where these young adults go after they leave our communal kitchen, but I am so proud of them! Here are the afters of the lesson:

Where before there were only empty paper plates, bowls and cups, after . . . .