How A Foodie Can Give Back
I believe that a God-given skill is meant to be shared with your community. Here in Winnipeg there are so many opportunities to serve. Some of the obvious ones are Winnipeg Harvest and Siloam Mission where they are always looking for volunteers to distribute food or serve a hot meal at their soup kitchen. If youhave never had the privledge of helping in this way, I can tell you first hand, it is a very gratifying experience.
For the past 11 years my husband caters a Christmas party for a volunteer organization. They pay a modest amount to cover the food costs and he uses it to go all out. He researches for days before suggesting a menu. He then shops and cooks for the week previous to the dinner. The menu always revolves around turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce (of course) but he mixes it up every year to serve a unique and special dinner. This year his menu was:
Roasted Beet, Almond and Pear Salad
Sage and Caramelized Onion Bread Stuffing
Buttermilk, Basil and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Gratin of Winter Vegetables
Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow Crust (back by popular demand)
Ginger Spice Cake with Candy Cane Whipped Cream
Our family and friends get together to serve and it is a wonderful way to kick off the season. Why am I writing about this in the beginning of March? Today is my weekly volunteer day and I feed people too; they happen to be babies. Every Tuesday afternoon I help out at the Children’s Hospital by feeding, burping, holding and walking sick babies. I feed them formula and I feed them love-the very best food of all.
Kath’s quote: “A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.”-Carl Sandburg