A spread of Greek food prepared for a special community dinner centered on “Blue Zones” organized by Center Grove-area resident Sarah Janisse Brown.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS BY MARGARITA BROWN
Editor’s note: Sarah Janisse Brown is a Center Grove-area resident and a publisher who has developed more than 300 workbooks for non-traditional learners. She and her family live on a working farm, and she’ll be sharing some of her experiences on learning, teaching, food and more in an occasional column in the Daily Journal.
After returning from a trip to Greece and Italy, I hosted a fun afternoon of cooking and gardening with a couple dozen friends and neighbors. We gathered at our family’s hobby farm on Olive Branch Road in Greenwood to cook up a feast together using ingredients common to the Greek islands.
Everyone pitched in to buy the ingredients, though many of the items used in the recipes were harvested from our community garden during the afternoon.
The main cookbook we used was “The Blue Zones Kitchen,” which focuses on the eating traditions of the statistically longest-lived people in the world. Those pockets of people are known to live “Blue Zones.”
We talked a lot about Blue Zones, and discussed together the common values and lifestyles of those different communities around the world. Our special focus was on Ikaria, Greece, an island where people commonly life to 100 years old in good heath.
Several of the guests had watched the TV series about the Blue Zones, and a few had read the books. Some of the attendees came to the event to learn about Greek cooking, learning about the Blue Zones for the first time.
Everyone pondered the beauty of multigenerational living in small walkable communities lush with gardens, forests and pastures, where cafes and markets were within walking distance. We talked about how current development, sprawl, single-use zoning, and a lack of sidewalks and shops in communities leads to isolation and loneliness. We talked about ideas for creating a more connected future for the next generation.
The cooking experience reminded me of “Master Chef” — we broke up into groups of four or five and passed out cookbooks. Each group had a mission to create a different dish to add to the meal. It was a chance for several of us to get to know new friends while we poured over the cookbooks and examined the vast spread of ingredients.
Then, we dove into cooking.
The event didn’t pass without a little trouble. There were apples and pears outside on the tables, and when we were not paying attention three of our horses got out of their pasture to have a snack. So, we had to do without pears in one of the recipes, but it was a funny and memorable moment.
Once all the recipes were prepared everyone gathered in front yard for a beautiful feast. The children who were playing all day came to join us, along with the rest of our family.
We gave thanks and enjoyed the beautiful evening by flickering candlelight, and the golden hour glow. Jazz music and laughter filled the atmosphere along with the occasional crowing of a rooster.
We host several different events in our home, where friends and neighbors can gather to enjoy some traditional fun on the farm. Our family has enjoyed living on this beautiful 23 acres for almost three years, after several years of doing volunteer work overseas.
Now we have returned to the United States and enjoy opening our hobby farm for fun educational and community building experiences for friends, family and neighbors.
