Cooking is an act of surrender and love. Cooking our own food is a time of reconnection. It's remembering origins, smells and of course, rescuing memories. Who doesn't remember their dear grandmother or mother cooking?
Or that smell coming your way? Moments like these are stored in the memory of many. Thus, 'Minha Mãe Fazia' was born. Journalist Ana Holanda brings together recipes made by her mother and emotional foods in this project. Check out the interview.
Eu sem Fronteiras – How did you come up with the idea of making your mother's recipes and sharing them?
Anne Holland: Minha Mãe Fazia actually brings together not only my mother's recipes. The idea is to talk about everyday foods and affective memories. Invariably, many of my affective memories are related to the dishes my mother (Ligia) made in my childhood. So I end up sharing a lot of them. The project came about about a year ago, when I felt the need to share many of the reflections I have while I'm cooking. I believe that when I share my reflections, when I share the recipes, when I talk about my childhood memories, people identify with each other. And they end up remembering important moments from their own childhood, they reconnect with their emotions and with what is, in fact, important in this life. I strongly believe that food is a bridge that connects us with people and says a lot about the relationships we establish out there. For example, my text can talk about the days when nothing goes right, about the fear of leaving the comfort zone, about the fear of making mistakes, about not knowing how to give time to time, about the relationship with the children, about homesickness. And I always end with a recipe that is related to the theme: a cake, a sweet, a pie, a savory dish.
Me Without Borders – Have you always liked to cook?
Anne Holland: Yup. Ever since I was a kid, I loved being in the kitchen, which, for me, was the heart of the house. I liked watching my mother cook, smelling the aromas coming out of the pot, going to the market and smelling the fruits and spices. As an adult, I have always cooked a lot, but after my children were born (I have twins, Clara and Lucas, 6 years old) I felt more like going to the kitchen, offering them homemade food, making them feel the taste of food. real and not processed food. I think we teach our children a lot when we cook, when we put food on the table and share what we have done. We teach about talking (because everyone sits at the table), sharing (because we share food), the value of things (food, flavors), and what healthy food really is.
Eu sem Fronteiras – What does cooking time mean to you? What is more important?
Anne Holland: Cooking is a time when I stop to reflect. It is an active meditation. I relax as I chop the ingredients, mix, taste. I like to buy the ingredients, I like to think about what I'm going to prepare, to cook and serve. And I love seeing people's reactions when they eat. In general they really like my dishes. But every now and then I make a mistake. And this is also a learning experience.
me without borders – Do you like to cook for your family?
Anne Holland: Much. It sounds cliché, but cooking is a form of love. We put ourselves a lot when cooking. It's feeling. And I worry a lot about what my family eats. I'm not the health food neurotic, but I like them to eat foods made with fresh ingredients, fruits (variety), and homemade food (no ready-to-eat soup, frozen lasagna, processed sauce).
Eu sem Fronteiras – What are some of the dishes you make that were your mother's recipes?
Anne Holland: Most of my references in the kitchen have to do with my childhood memories, with my mother's food: the smells, the mixtures, the use of seasonings. My mother's dishes that I keep fondly in my memory are the chocolate cake, the cream cake, the corn soufflé, the steak parmigiana and the baked potato. My mother has always been a full-fledged cook.
Me Without Borders – Why does the food itself send you affection?
Anne Holland: Those who don't cook with feeling, with donation, in general, don't cook well. Cooking is a way of talking to the soul (at least for me it is). And affection permeates it all.
Me Without Borders – What do you remember of your mother cooking? Are you inspired by her?
Anne Holland: I remember her cooking every day. I remember the noise of the pressure cooker cooking the beans of the day, the garlic frying with the onion to make the rice. All very good, tasty.
Me Without Borders – Have you invited your kids to cook together?
Anne Holland: Yup. Always do this. But for me it has to be spontaneous. When they want, they are welcome. And children are curious, right? Then, turn and move, they appear. They love to help make cake. They love to see the magic of mixing flour, egg and milk and seeing it turn into something completely different: a fluffy chocolate cake.
Me Without Borders – Why do you believe that mom's food usually has that cozy taste?
Anne Holland: Because, in general, it is made with love.
Me Without Borders – feel free to write something
Anne Holland: I believe that cooking is a way for us to connect with ourselves. In times when life requires speed and practicality, it is important to experiment, smell the seasonings, feel the texture of the meat, feel the aromas. This helps me to reflect that we should not accept everything that is given to us for granted or for granted. We also need to discover our own paths, discover it alone. There is an essential difference between buying a ready-made, industrialized lasagna and preparing one at home. The second will take more work, but the result is infinitely better. Can believe. With life it is also like that. Not always the way they say is the right one, the easiest or most practical is the one that will give us the most pleasure, happiness, real satisfaction. Cooking, for me, is a path that takes me to my essence.
Interview conducted by Angelica Weise from the Eu Sem Fronteiras team.
