Talk of food brings joy and memories

Is there a special food that’s dear to your heart (and stomach)?

Food is such an incredible site of flavour, memory, culture and satisfaction. Food connects us with the people we consider home, and to the lands and waters of our ancestors. At Common Table Farm – Flemingdon Park Ministry’s urban farm project – we have the joy of encountering the raw ingredients of food daily.

Flemingdon Park Ministry (FPM) recently celebrated the opening of a new space at 10 Gateway Blvd. in Toronto. Its bright interior will be a welcome gathering place for local residents, many of whom are newcomer women. People from all over the world find their way through our doors to have a cup of coffee, to join an English conversation class or to receive support, such as the veggie hampers provided by our farm.

Given the diversity of our community, I was curious to find out what vegetables are cherished. I asked several people what vegetable was special to them and why. Marianne, a volunteer farming with us for several seasons, contributed this reflection:

“In the past, when I thought of eggplant, I only envisioned the bell-shaped deep purple vegetable. But at the Common Table Farm, we grow several different varieties, including the long and skinny Asian eggplant, the striped white and purple round eggplant, and the grape-sized striped yellow-green African eggplant. I enjoy planting, staking, fertilizing and harvesting the various eggplant.”

Marianne points out that even in a single vegetable there can be so much glorious variety. This can be eye-opening to visitors to our farm. Supermarkets tend to stock the same varieties, usually those bred for uniformity and a long shelf life. We have become accustomed to thinking that a tomato or eggplant should only look a certain way.

Sitting around the table at FPM’s office, a few women shared about their favourite vegetables. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Joan grew up familiar with the root vegetable cassava. In the past, you had to travel to Spadina Avenue or shop at Caribbean stores to find it, but Joan has noticed that nowadays it’s much more readily available in Toronto. Cassava is made into pone – a sweet dessert. It is also boiled or added to soup. A specific food may be called one name in Trinidad and a different name in Jamaica.

The conversation then turned to okra. In Afghanistan, where Tourpikey is from, okra is known as bamia. I learned that okra not only makes a tasty dish but has incredible health benefits, such as helping with diabetes and blood pressure, improving your mood or even helping with constipation! The women suggested that okra be soaked in water overnight and the resulting water be consumed for these health benefits. Malalai chimed in, “When I’m upset, bring me chili, naan, and okra!” Other women joined in the discussion about harvesting and preparing okra, and dealing with its characteristic slime. In Trinidad, okra would be cooked with the leafy green callaloo. So many different cooking methods and recipes were being shared at once, I couldn’t keep up with recording it all! Tourpikey commented that while she loves okra, it can be expensive. Now knowing just how beloved this vegetable is, and how it can be unaffordable, I’m very honoured to be a farmer who can grow this crop for our community.

Okra is also special to a young woman connected to our farm. Gabrielle was a youth participant in our inaugural Young Farmer Program in 2023. She loved the farm so much that she came back a second (and now third!) summer as a seasonal employee. Gabrielle shared these thoughts:

“When I began working at the farm, I would always tell my family what vegetables I had a hand in growing. When I mentioned okra, my grandma’s face lit up. She was so excited to hear that it was so accessible to her, and it reminded her of her mother, who would often boil okra. Being someone of mixed descent, I often struggle feeling connected to all aspects of my culture, but when my grandma recalled the times of her mother boiling okra, I felt a step closer to a stronger connection to my cultural heritage. I think that the incorporation of fruits and vegetables from all parts of the world is what makes the farm so essential. When cultural, social and economic backgrounds differ, food is something that has the ability to bring everyone together, connecting previous memories to create new ones.”

Collective joy arises in sharing about specific foods and the treasured connections and memories they embody. We witness the beauty of our community through the foods we eat and love. Hungry yet? Maybe it’s time for that favourite food.