Minter - A Place at the Table

Copyright 2019 by Kelly Minter

All rights reserved.

Printed in China

978-1-5359-4113-6

Published by B&H Publishing Group

Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 641.5

Subject Heading: FELLOWSHIP / FOOD / COOKING

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is taken from Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cover photo Micah Kandros.

Lifestyle photography Cole Gorman with styling by Callie Blount and Megen Minter.

Food photography Stephanie Mullins with styling by Teresa Blackburn.

Endpaper illustrations Bekah Wertz.

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KELLY MINTER is passionate about teaching the Bible, and believes it permeates all of life. When shes not writing, speaking, or singing you can find her picking homegrown vegetables, cooking meals, enjoying her six nieces and nephews or riding a boat down the Amazon River with Justice & Mercy International. A Southern transplant, she delights in college football, neighborhood walks, and a diner mug of good coffee with her closest friends.

REGINA PINTO A self-taught chef who learned the basics of cooking from her grandmother and mother in Brazil, Regina has traveled through the US and UK, merging the flavors of her childhood with each new destination. She is a chocolatier and pastry chef, and the former owner of the Blushing Berry in Tennessee, where she created truffles and desserts for some of Nashvilles most famous brands, including Arrington Vineyards, Belle Meade, and the Hermitage Hotel. She thinks of cooking as a way to express her love for others and finds the greatest joy in seeing people delight in her dishes, especially her family, as she is the mother of two and grandmother of three. Regina is a member of Rolling Hills Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee, and is active with Justice and Mercy International in the Amazon.

CONTENTS

THE FOOD THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER

FRESH FROM THE GARDEN

THE TOMATO

THE NEW CHURCH POTLUCK

IN DEFENSE OF SOUP

A BIG FISH STORY FROM THE AMAZON

BREAKFAST AND THE ART OF INVITATION

SPECIAL OCCASIONS

SWEET CELEBRATIONS

WHY COOKING MATTERS

My love for food and cooking was cultivated by growing up in a family that loved to eat and a home where my mom made dinner most evenings.

These early experiences at home also helped set the table for my love of people and conversationfor the simple reason that food and meaningful gatherings feed one another. And this isnt just a pun talking. A conversation is always better with a cup of coffee and muffin in hand, and a cup of coffee and a muffin is undoubtedly more sublime with a person to share them with.

When we make the time to cook a meal, were much more likely to take the time to savor it with others. When we slow down long enough for our palettes to discern seasonal flavors, experiment with a new ingredient, or grow a vegetable in our garden, we learn to appreciate Gods remarkable creation and the journey it makes into our kitchens and on to our plates. And when the meals we make are shared with others at the table, I like to think that this is when a dish is at its bestwhen it can look around the room and say to itself, I have arrived!

The difficulty, of course, is that we live in a busy and hurried society that leaves us little time for cooking, especially with quality ingredients that taste good. Thats why, with a little bit of planning, the recipes in this cookbook are accessible and doable. (We did include a few slightly more challenging ones for those who have the time to experiment, compliments of Regina.) The goal is not to burden you, but to empower you to cherish even the simplest meals with loved ones. Because when we dont make the time for cooking, good food isnt the only casualty. We miss out on all the conversations and laughter that naturally happen in a busy kitchen and around a table of homemade food.

Whenever cooking feels like a debilitating chore for me, or that I dont have the time for it, Im reminded of an afternoon when I was in the Amazon jungle and a native pastors wife, Maria, welcomed me into her home. She was serving chicken for dinner and asked me to stay. What I didnt realize at the time was that said chicken was in the backyard. Alive. Tottering around the grounds, blissfully unaware that this dear and gracious woman, filled with the Holy Spirit, was about to snap its head off. Marias care of this bird from birth to, well, chicken soup, was a far cry from me having to run to the refrigerated aisle of the grocery store for two boneless, skinless breasts. Perspective.

Food is a blessing and cooking is an invitation for us to be involved in that blessing. When we cook, were more grateful for Gods gift of food.

While many of us will never have to cultivate our food, harvest it, cook it, and finally eat it for survival like Maria did, my hope is that well at least hang onto the cooking piece. Why? Because what I simply cannot get away from, what has changed me over the years, is that food is a blessing and cooking is an invitation for us to be involved in that blessing. When we cook, were more grateful for Gods gift of food, were more connected to the miracle of His creation, and were reflecting His creativity. And on top of all of those reasonscooking is better for us and better for those around us. After all, sharing the meals we make with others is one of lifes greatest joys. At least I think so.

Whether youre a novice or a pro in the kitchen, or somewhere in between, my prayer is that this collection of recipes and stories will inspire and empower you to nourish others and yourself. To sniff a new spice or try a new culinary technique. To invite a guest to your table, and perhaps introduce them to the God who made all the flavors and people they are enjoying.

In the fast-paced culture we live in, cooking matters because its one of the last connections we have left to our food besides eating it. And in our often lonely society, cooking is one of the last connections we have to each other. My hope is that A Place at the Table will support and encourage you to reclaim some space in your life and home for this good and meaningful endeavor.