Monday, May 24

From the Oxford English Dictionary:

Communion - (noun)

a. The action or fact of sharing or holding something in common with others; mutual participation; the condition of things so held, mutuality, community, union.
b. The fact of being associated or linked; association, connection.
Synonyms: Accord, Association, Communing, Contact, Fellowship, Harmony, Intercommunication, Rapport, Sympathy, Togetherness, Unity

Today, we will be focusing on the word communion. And while there are immediate religious connotations that spring to mind, also consider the wealth of meanings the word has beyond its spiritual definition. Think of unity, fellowship, breaking bread and communing with others. Take a look at the synonyms listed above.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Given the synonyms listed above:

Make a short list of places you experience communion - or how you experience it.

• How by yourself?
• How with others?
• What is it about these places that make communion possible? Think light, sound, space, air. What senses do you associate with these spaces?
• In what places do you wish you could find communion? What is preventing you from doing so?
• Consider the word communion and how it relates with the concept of sharing, in terms of both resources and space.

There may be several answers - none are wrong. Continue your day. Keep your ears and eyes open, seeking space. Find the opportunity to listen to others, and to yourself. Seek communion, and be grateful.

Tuesday, May 25

Today is about looking at why we gather for meals.

We find congregating at mealtime so natural because it has been part of our nutritional regiment since man's early development. The beginnings of civilization sprung from man's transition to growing his own food, and within that society, hospitality among hosts and guests have served as the codifier for sharing meals.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

A few questions to get you thinking about why we gather for meals:

• What is a meal you remember because of the people who were there?
• How has a meal brought you to be with an individual or group you didn't expect to eat with? What do you remember about that meal?
• What event that involves gathering and sharing a meal means a lot to you? This could be anything from dinner at home to Thanksgiving. If you want to go further, research the origins and history of that custom.

Wednesday, May 26

Today we'll look at our current eating habits and goals.

Our eating habits are influenced by many variables — our culture, our identities, our health, our allergies and dietary restrictions, and whether we live alone or with others, to name a few. Take a look inside your refrigerator. Do you shop for groceries or mostly eat out? What are you eating? Sometimes there's a gap between how we think we eat and how we actually eat. Does that apply to you?

Many of us also set food-related goals; we pledge to cook at home, we vow to buy organic, we eliminate meat or dairy, we strive to lose or gain weight, to cut down on cholesterol, to eat more vegetables. We might live with a partner whose dietary restrictions influence our own choices, and we might make plans to be more understanding or accommodating. What are your eating goals? Do you have any?

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Please answer the following questions:

• What variables influence your eating habits?
• What's your favorite food to prepare for yourself when you're on your own? Why?
• What's your favorite food to order at a restaurant? Why?
• What food would you like to make or try but simply haven't yet?
• Notice whether or not you have any food or eating-related goals.

That's it! Enjoy your day, and be sure to take a moment to also enjoy your meals.

Thursday, May 27

Today, we'll look into the past, and how our lives have been formed by food.

One of the biggest influences on what we eat is what we've learned about food in the past. There is a term that's starting to be used in the academic field to talk about this called "foodways," an umbrella term used in sociology, folklore, cultural studies, and literature to talk about how food gives us a window into our lives. It suggests that underneath this simple act of eating lay clues to our beliefs about who we are, what we value, where we're from — as individuals, as families, and as a culture.

So this way of thinking would have us imagine that food is not only fuel, but conversation about who we are and what we believe: A ritual about family practiced in a Sunday pot roast. A secret shared in a carefully-packed picnic. A chance to test out a new identity with Thai take-out. An assertion of your daring in a suicide soda.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Please answer the following questions:

• What recipes have been handed down in your family? How have they been shared? Have you made them yourself? Why do you think those are the recipes that have remained in your family?
• What's the most disgusting thing you can remember eating? What have you eaten on a dare? Why?
• What memorable meals do you remember from your childhood? What made them memorable? What were your good-ol'-standby meals growing up?
• How much food should you eat in a day? What do you offer to guests? How should you set the table? Where did you learn these things?
• Where did you eat outside of your house (at friends' houses, or at church, or in restaurants, or at picnics, or at the fair, or in school), and how often? What did you eat there?

That's it! Enjoy looking back into your own personal foodways.

Friday, May 28

Today we'll look at the company we keep and the gratitude we feel.

How are your experiences informed by the people around you? When do you feel gratitude, and what form does it take?

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Quickly scan the following exercises. Find one or two that resonant with you, and go for it. Explore, be honest, and have fun!

• Who makes the food you eat?
• Who is the best cook you know? The worst?
• What makes an ideal host?
• Name five famous chefs.
• Who is the first person to teach you to cook or bake?
• What's the most number of people with whom you've shared a meal?
• What's the most number of people for whom you've prepared a meal?
• Why might you refuse one person 50 cents, but gladly buy them a meal?
• Do you know a prayer for food? Where does it come from? What does it mean?
• What determines how much you tip?
• Bow to someone today. Mean it.
• For today, replace the phrase "thank you" with another phrase of your choice.
• Someone will do something nice for you today: hold the door, pick up your pencil, compliment your looks. Write that person a thank-you note.
• What does it take to volunteer for Meals on Wheels?

And thank you for all your hard work this week. We're so grateful to be working with you, and we can't wait to see how your efforts so far will inform Daily Bread's main event.

The Assignment

Part 1:

Please create and host a food event. Feel free to interpret this as loosely as you would like: it could be a picnic, a neighborhood lemonade and snack stand, a lunch-on-the-run with a friend, a midnight diner dive, a formal dinner party — you name it. Maybe you've always wanted to create your own Jello mold and want to invite five friends to build Jello molds with you. Maybe you've been dying to try a difficult recipe and want to host a party to celebrate its culinary debut. Perhaps you want to invite your older sister to make sushi with you as a way to build your relationship and celebrate your recent trip to Japan. It's up to you! You're the architect of this event.

When planning your event, we invite you to consider the five elements we covered this week.

Communion

Can you host your event in a place where you experience a sense of communion? Or could you reflect on how to bring a sense of communion into a new space?

Hospitality

Would you like to invite others to share in the experience of your food event? To whom would you choose to show some hospitality?

Eating Habits and Goals

Do you have any eating habits to which you'd like to adhere or from which you'd like to stray? Do you have any food or eating-related goals that you'd like to address in your event?

Tradition / Memory

How might your personal foodways influence your event? Are there any traditions of your own you'd like to begin practicing?

Gratitude

Are you grateful for food, good company, ample space and resources? How can you express your gratitude through your event?

Part 2:

Please make a record of your event in some way and send it to us. This record is meant to be a reflection of your event, and a way of sharing your experience with the other participants. We want you to pour your creativity into the event itself, so feel free to keep the recording as simple as you wish. You can send us photos, video, audio files, or text. We'll also need a photo of you and a short bio for inclusion on our website (which you may opt-out of if you prefer). Please visit our website for submission guidelines.

You may schedule your event any time between now and June 20. Please plan to turn in a record of your event as soon as you have it ready, but no later than Monday, June 21 at noon Eastern time.

For those of you who opted to receive snail mail, you should receive an envelope from N.O.W. in a few days. The envelope contains a surprise that you may use to inspire your event, or you may disregard it. Instructions are on the envelope. For those of you who did not opt to receive snail mail, please contact us if you would like us to send you the surprise by an alternate means.

Over the next three weeks we'll send you a few more short emails to keep you connected and inspired. If you've had an interesting experience as a result of this project and would like to share it with the greater Daily Bread community, we'd love to make that happen! Simply email us your story. Also, if you'd like to be involved in a group dialogue, please email us and let us know, and we will exchange your information with other participants. As always, we're available to answer any questions at info@noonewayarts.com.

Stay connected on facebook and twitter.

Good luck, and happy event planning!