This week there’s been lots of kitchen conversation on the theme of vegetarianism. But my only contribution is to notice there’s been no loss of life on the ‘veggies’ chopping board as a result. This is not to say, however, that there’s been no linguistic confusion in the kitchen. The arrival of mince pies, for example, has caused quite a stir amongst the continentals in our community: “What exactly is mincemeat?”… “Does it have meat in it?”… “Why is it called mincemeat then?”…“Isn’t it easily confused with minced meat?” “Is it suitable for vegetarians?”
Well, whatever it is their arrival is timely, since we’re right on the brink of our annual influx of seasonal visitors, who begin arriving tomorrow. For many, I suppose, it’s a chance to escape the general madness into our haven of hill-top sanity; though living here, that sanity isn’t always apparent. As an example, these last few afternoons the monastery kitchen has been more of a biscuit factory than a place of composed contemplative cooking, as I continued the yearly tradition of home-baking goodwill cookies for our neighbours. What they will do for relations between us remains unsure however: Ajahn Abhinando, stopping by to make tea for Geoff Jackson and his workers (who are down the hill building the retreat house library) suggested not much, when he stood there as I chopped chocolate, and laughed at his own imaginings of cracked teeth all over the parish. He made me laugh too, but he didn’t shake my optimism that they would turn out all melt-in-the-mouth. Anyway, what can you do? You make them, you bake them, and then they are what they are - which at the very worst is practice for the next time.
…the next time. Ajahn Munindo thinks that ‘the next time’ rather than baking biscuits, I might be a monk. Personally I’m not so sure about that. Although this Tuesday the ‘blinkered sceptic’ in me was challenged a bit, as Ajahn Sawaeng, Tan Hiriko, Ajahn Munindo and myself drove into Newcastle for the midday meal at Neo’s place in Chinatown. It’s the ‘@Bangkok Café’ and to get to it we rolled down ‘Monks Road’ and on to ‘Low Friar Street’, where it sits on the corner – few locations for a dana could feel more eerily fitting.
Except perhaps the top of Harnham Hill. So if you find yourself joining us at some point over Christmas, you might wish to know that the following would be helpful:
- Normal milk
- Tahini
- Tinned red kidney beans
- Paprika (sweet)
Other helpful items for outside the kitchen would be:
- Stamps (any value)
- Fire wood
- Danish Oil
- Tough scrubbing brushes for the floor
- Lime scale remover
- Wood saw
- Herbal cough mixture
- Throat lozenges
- Dust masks
- Ecover Toilet Cleaner
