Publishers Weekly
07/03/2023
“Our kitchens... sacred places,” assert The Food and Faith Podcast cohosts Weston and Woofenden (This Is God’s Table) in their spirited exploration of cooking “from the lens of faith and justice.” Far from “another room where menial tasks are performed,” the kitchen can be a site for reflecting and questioning “why we cook, for whom, and what values we uphold in the process.” To create a “just kitchen,” and one not strictly regarded as a woman’s domain, readers can start by shopping locally, composting, and ensuring that everyone “has a role... and a way to contribute.” Elsewhere, the authors establish links between food and faith, citing the biblical story in which Jesus fed a vast crowd with only two fish and five loaves of bread, suggesting that “perhaps the real miracle is people learning to be creative and generous with what they have in their possession.” Along with recipes, the authors offer poignant meditations on seemingly unremarkable elements of the cooking process; even accommodating a guest’s dietary restrictions can be “a way... see and honor one another’s bodies and choices, and celebrate the fact that each of us comes to the table with our own unique hungers.” Foodies of faith will find plenty to sink their teeth into. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"Foodies of faith will find plenty to sink their teeth into." —Publishers Weekly
"The Just Kitchen is a heart-warming, soul-satisfying, and salivating meditation on the spiritual dimension of foodways. I'm grateful that Derrick Weston and Anna Woofenden have set a welcome table replete with hope and love." —Adrian Miller, James Beard Award-winning author and executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches
"Like a carefully and lovingly prepared meal, Derrick Weston and Anna Woofendon have given a rich and generous gift in Just Kitchen. With honesty, humility, and great generosity of spirit, Derrick and Anna echo a truth I learned from the keepers of the kitchen in my own family—there's more going on in the kitchen than we usually realize. Yes, it can be a complicated and difficult space, but it can also be a space of interaction, preparation, transformation, reflection, healing, community, mutuality, celebration, and hope. For anyone who has longed for a guide to a more meaningful relationship with the kitchen, Derrick and Anna graciously show the way—recipes included." —Nathan Stucky, PhD, director of the Farminary Project
"The Just Kitchen is a mantra for the mind and body, creating a spiritual journey for us all." —Alex Askew, chef, director of BCA Global, and author/editor of Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community
