Just Like Mama Used to Make
by Marquita Wepman

As I begin to write this column "Just Like Mama...", only memories of Daddy in
the kitchen occur to me. It was Daddy whom I remember in the kitchen, singing
as he squeezed the grapefruit juice, cutting up the potatoes in thin slices
for frying, or mixing up his cornmeal concoction for his delicious skillet
cornbread. Aside from grilled onions and fresh tomato slices, I don't
remember him ever including any vegetables in his meals. Of course, Mother
made the "Sunday meal" - complete with meat, vegetables and dessert. But it
was Daddy who would whip up a quick pan-bread-breakfast or lunch. On
reflection, I enjoyed eating whatever he cooked. But especially, I enjoyed
watching him cook. Cooking appeared to be fun for him. The way he would
laugh, sing or tease by asking if my sister and I were hungry - knowing that
we were famished. What his meals lacked in variety, he made up for in his
playful energy. The way he would slide the fragrant browned potato slices
direct from the hot fry pan onto my sister's and my plates, entreating us to
"eat ‘um while they're hot."

The outstanding feature of the repasts my father prepared was that they had
his joyful energy in them. Whether a meal consisted of broken bits of skillet
cornbread in a glass of buttermilk eaten with a spoon, or fried egg sandwiches
eaten out of hand, I always felt satisfied and happier afterwards. No doubt
his Nine Star Ki adult natal year of 9 fire energy played a starring role.

One time my mother, for whom cooking appeared to be a serious responsibility
and whose Nine Star Ki adult natal year was 6 metal, upon returning from work
early, found him in the kitchen, flipping his cornbread in mid air, and
singing "John Henry Was a Steel Driving Man." She admonished him for his
foolishness.

Nevertheless, the memory in my mind's eye of Ken (all six feet four inches of
him), empty skillet in hand and the cornbread cake higher in the air than his
head, still stirs a warm feeling in me.

The philosophy of macrobiotics teaches that expansive and contractive forces
of energy throughout the universe are forever attracting and repelling.
Energy being forever active - transforms into dynamic balance. Dynamic,
because absolute balance is static in nature, therefore cannot exist.
However, there is chaotic balance and there is harmonious balance. Harmony
creates a peaceful energetic quality. Although we cannot see, touch, smell or
hear this harmonious energy, this invisible force profoundly affects our
being. We feel less tight and more flexible, both in our physical body and
our state of mind. It seems that our sensory receptors become more sensitive
and operate more smoothly. The feeling of how great it is to be alive and
acknowledgment of this precious gift pervades our being.

Upon reflection, my father's energy seemed more harmonious than my mother's
energy to me as a child growing up.

A requirement of living in the Kushi's house is doing part of the cooking.
Mindful of the importance of the cook's energy while preparing the meal, other
occupants of the house refrain from going into the kitchen during the cooking
process - certainly not without being given permission to do so. When Warren
and I lived in the Kushi house during the summer and fall of 1992, this
impressed me profoundly. The energy put into the food as it is cooking,
either by: the selection of foods, the type of heat being used, method of
cooking preparation, the mood or thoughts of the cook(s), the music or other
stimuli occurring simultaneously while cooking, is the energy also taken in
when we sit down and eat our food.

Thus, harmonious energy is desired and striven for in the kitchen. Before
beginning to cook a meal and before beginning cooking classes, Warren and I,
together with our students, take a few deep inhalations and exhalations in
order to balance our energies. At the Kushi Institute we were taught that by
making the sound of "suuu" three times energy is harmonized.

Ironic? The man I live with loves to cook. One of my favorite activities is
being in the kitchen cooking with Warren. We first decide what grain appeals
to us, and once our "main course" has been decided upon, we go about preparing
the rest of our meal. I am grateful that our meals are created with both male
and female energy. Often, dishes that Warren concocts might not have occurred
to me and vice versa. Yet we sit down at the table to a balanced and
delicious meal.

Skillet Corn Bread
I will share with you my father's delicious and fun to make recipe.

2 c. corn meal
1/2 tsp. sea salt OR
2 tsps. miso diluted in water
1 medium onion, diced
1 T. corn oil
3/4 c. spring water, approximately

Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the onion, salt or miso, and enough
water to make a thick pourable batter. Heat an iron skillet, add the corn oil
and coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Pour the batter into the hot
skillet. Lower the flame to medium heat. When the edges are golden brown
take a deep breath (balance your energy and say a prayer to the universe) and
turn or flip over with a spatula, and brown the other side.

An easier way I found, when my energy feels scattered is to heat another
skillet the same size, coat it with oil, place it over the cornbread and
simply reverse the skillets. Voila. It is delicious served either hot or at
room temperature.

Baked Vegetables

One of the dishes that my mother made, that I relished, was roasted sweet
potatoes. I eat sweet potatoes infrequently. However, the following recipe
for roasted vegetables is often used, and is a dish that appears on our table
when the weather falls below 40 or 50 degrees. I offer it as a conversion and
a healthier substitution. A good thing about this recipe is that it can be
cooking while you are out of doors doing fun things when the wind howls and
the mercury drops. The succulent rich aroma with a hint of rosemary fills the
house and greets you the moment you open the door.

1 large onion
2 carrots
3-inch piece of burdock
1 turnip
1/4 of a winter squash
2 T. sesame oil
2-inch square piece kombu
1/4 c. spring water
pinch of sea salt
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. brown rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. rosemary

Peel the onion. Cut it in half and slice each half into thick and chunky
pieces.

Wash the other vegetables under running water with a scrub brush to remove
any surface dirt. Don't peel them. There are nutriments and vitamins in
their outer layers. Cut the carrots and turnip into good sized chunks. The
burdock can be cut into rounds, or diagonal slices.

Cut the squash in half or into quarters. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
If the squash is organic, and the surface is not too bumpy, you can leave the
skin on, otherwise peel off the exterior. Certainly cut off any unsightly
bumps or parts that are not pretty or edible (like the stem and bottom ends).
Cut the squash into chunks. Place the vegetables in a large bowl and mix in
the oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and rosemary.

With scissors, cut the kombu into thin strips and place in the bottom of a
roasting pan or casserole. Add the vegetables and 1/2 inch of water to the
bottom of the pot and cover with a lid.

Place in a 375 degree oven and bake until the vegetables are tender. This
may take 45 minutes to an hour, depending upon the size of the cuts of
vegetables and temperature of your oven. Do check from time to time to make
sure that there is enough liquid in the bottom so that the vegetables do not
risk being burned, and add a few tablespoons of water if necessary.
Variation: Different combinations of vegetables create new, delicious tasting
dishes. You may desire to include or substitute some of the following: lotus
root, tempeh, deep-fried tofu, shiitake mushrooms, rutabaga, parsnip, or
daikon.

Nutty Cous-cous Cake Supreme

I like desserts - 3 or 4 times a week. But when I over-do, I then back off
and have them less frequently. Here is a recipe for cous-cous cake that is
almost decadent, yet quick and easy to eat, and contains no flour.

2 c. couscous
2 1/2 c. apple juice
2 1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 T. grated orange rind

Place the liquid and the salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Add the
couscous, the orange zest and stir once. Cover with a lid, lower the flame
and simmer for 15 minutes. Put into a rinsed dish and let cool completely.
Then make the following frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 c. pecans
1/2 c. walnuts
3/4 c. raisins or currants
1 1/2 c. apple juice
1 T. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. barley malt
1/3 c. kuzu
2/3 c. spring water
1 tsp. soy sauce

Rinse, drain and roast the nuts in a dry skillet. Stir them so that they do
not burn. After about 3 to 5 minutes they will give off a fragrant odor.
Remove them from the pan and pour them onto a cutting board and chop them
coarsely.

Boil the raisins or currants and sea salt in the apple juice for 15 minutes.
Add the vanilla, barley malt, nuts and stir.

Dilute the kuzu in the water, then add the soy sauce. Stir this mixture into
the raisin mixture and continue simmering until it becomes thickened and
clear.

Spread immediately over the top and sides of the cake, slice and serve.

I hope you try these recipes and enjoy them.

(Marquita Wepman together with her husband Warren have practiced the
macrobiotic lifestyle for almost 22 years. They are graduates of the Kushi
Institute and members of the Macrobiotic Educators' Association. They teach,
lecture, give shiatsu massage and macrobiotic lifestyle consultations
throughout the United States.

They reside at Stoneycrest, 119 Stoney Fork Road, Barnardsville, NC 28709,
outside of Asheville, North Carolina. They are the directors of The Asheville
Buncombe County Center for Health, Beauty and Peace, a macrobiotic learning
center, which holds monthly brunches and cooking classes.

Accomodations are available The DOJO, a bed and breakfast at Stoneycrest. For
more information and a free brochure, please call (828) 626-3782, fax (828)
626-3783 or by e-mail: warrenwep@mindspring.com. Visit their website.