We were sitting around a big table in the garden after a great dinner. Dishes were piling up in the kitchen. They would get done tomorrow. Now it was time to focus on the conversation.
One of us asked:
What would be the last thing you would want to eat if you knew this was the last meal of your life?
I thought about it for a moment and said: “A thick slice of rye bread with loads of salted butter, cheese, and fresh pepper. Ideally the bread is still warm, the butter-to-bread ratio rather problematic, and the cheese, in hand-cut slices. Fresh pepper is essential.”
At first there was outrage at the table. “That’s the most German thing you’ve ever said,” one friend of mine remarked. “Almans and their bread…”
Surely a Käsebrot is not special enough to be my last meal? There are so many dishes that are more exciting, more flavourful, more complex – more nutritious, even.
But hear me out! What would you want to feel when you are eating the last meal of your life? Where would you want to feel transported to? What would you want the flavours on your tongue and the smells in your nose to conjure up for you one last time?
I would want to eat food that makes me feel loved, safe, and warm. Food that brings back images of my parents’ kitchen – the wooden table in the dining room with the distinct grain. There was this one deeper indentation that would fill up with crumbs, and I would use a pointy knife to clean it, and my mum would shout at me for it. Every time.
For me, that food is a simple cheese sandwich.
These perfectly Proustian memories, evoked by smells, can appear more vivid, clear, and detailed than other memories. Especially when they are of something we’re repeatedly exposed to. The foods of our childhood and homelands feel like they are ingrained in our bodies and souls, and they are deeply connected to our roots and cultural heritage.
So, naturally, when people migrate, which has always been the case and will continue to be, these foods and associated traditions migrate with them. Oftentimes, especially when people are forced to leave, the memories and stories are all that is left of home. Recipes get passed down over the years and help younger generations feel a sense of connection to the places they’ve only heard about from parents, grandparents, or other distant relatives.
Food connected to celebrations is especially powerful in provoking memories of home, due to the repetitive nature of the connection. Celebrations are an integral part of a person’s life, be they the larger rites of passage, such as the birth of a child or the death of a parent, or the simple act of noticing and appreciating that the seasons are changing. Though customs and feasts may vary profoundly, the importance of celebrations is universal.
People leaving their homes take with them the stories, songs, traditions, and recipes connected to these celebrations. In this book, we want to introduce you to 15 of those stories, told by the people themselves, through the recipes they chose to share with us.
When people settle in new places, the tastes and flavours they bring with them mix and mingle with the recipes and stories of others. Food is shared around new tables with new friends, and new memories are made. People find a home away from home. And some of them find that through specific projects, such as the (link: https://gsbtb.org/projects/open-kitchen/ text: Open Kitchen) at Give Something Back to Berlin. The aim of this project is to help people create a sense of belonging in an often confusing and overwhelming new world. By cooking and eating together and letting the smells of the meals bring up memories, a very intimate space is created that helps each individual to feel seen. Each story matters equally, regardless of a person’s background or status. Barriers that are created by labels such as “refugee”, “migrant”, or “local” can be broken down, one plate at a time.
But the project doesn’t just give people a space to connect to their roots. Due to the diversity and complexity of the community, new possibilities are created. The foods that we share inspire fresh ideas and potent connections, as well as give people agency. This empowerment encourages them to become advocates for themselves and their communities. Together we come up with new, creative solutions for challenging situations.
This book is a testament to our community. Its richness and diversity are beautifully reflected in the stories, photographs, and recipes. It will take you on a journey, not only around the world, but also through each person’s life cycle and annual rhythms. We follow our protagonists from the beginning of life to the end, as well as through the seasons, and let them tell us about their most special moments.
So this is not just a cookbook. This is a love letter to a community that gives people a sense of belonging and togetherness, a home away from home, and a place to simply be themselves.
Photos: Jonathan Benjamin Small
Pre-order the book: https://gsbtb.org/the-feast/