I wanted to thank Jason Brechin and Scott Koeneman for being gracious enough to cook up the meals given away during the Million Meals for Haiti project and write about it for today's paper.

When my editor suggested doing something related to actually trying the food, I didn't feel qualified to write about it. I cook, but I don't put as much effort into cooking and writing about it as these men do with their respective blogs. They were kind enough to accept The News-Gazette's challenge and submit their thoughts and recipes, and by deadline to boot.

They both put some serious thought into what the meals mean:

As we worked to prepare the meal, I couldn’t help but discuss with Quinn how trivial my worries of the day seemed in comparison to those of a Haitian family. That day, my thoughts had been on my job at the university and all the issues related to its financial situation, wanting everything to come out right while attempting something new, and whether I’d have time to get the grass cut before it got dark. 

 

My Haitian counterpart, on the other hand, most certainly spent his day focused on the most basic of needs; keeping his family alive, finding them something, anything, to eat and drink, and getting them shelter. My thoughts of him added a melancholy flavor to the meal.

 

- Scott Koeneman

 

In fulfilling this assignment from Meg, I can't help but think about how lucky we are, living in the United States where food is generally cheap and readily available wherever we look.  With the downturn in the economy, more and more people are seeking help from food banks, and there are millions across this country who don't know where their next meal will come from.

- Jason Brechin

Thanks again for your perspective, gentlemen. I hope it gets our readers thinking.

Photo is by News-Gazette photographer Robert K. O'Daniell. He took it at Scott's house, while Scott prepared the meal for Haiti over a fire outdoors.

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