This post begins and ends with rice. Simple, unassuming, humble grains of white rice. One of the world’s greatest nutritional workhorses, this tiny-grained food provides so much of the earth’s population with nourishment every single day. Specifically, rice is THE staple food of more than half of the world’s population – more than 3.5 billion people depend on it for more than 20% of their daily calories. The bags pictured here were lifted and carried into an empty, quiet high school cafeteria on a hotter-than-average Saturday morning in Lexington, KY by a group of food bloggers and kind local volunteers who helped make the world better by simply showing up.
Some food blogger friends of mine traveled thousands of miles, across many states and even national borders, to help me Rise Against Hunger and it was one of the most memorable, remarkable weekends I’ve had in years – maybe ever, in fact. These were “digital” friends that I’ve made over the past few years, people who I almost felt like I knew because we’d established and maintained such strong connections via social media and our blogs. It is the almost effortlessly accessible community of like-minded food lovers that has always sustained me during my faltering moments in this creative journey of mine, and I’m incredibly grateful for the people I “talk to” every day when I sign on, log in, or boot up. But. As much as I appreciate the connections I’ve been able to forge via social media and the Internet/blog-o-sphere, there is something to be said about making a point to get together with people in person, live and in living color.
So when I had the idea last winter to do just that – to get together with some of my online friends for a “FEEDback Retreat” – to support my hunger relief initiative – I sent my intention out into the world with a simple email (on a wing and a prayer) hoping that someone would bite, but certainly not expecting anything. I mean, purchasing plane tickets and flying across the country and taking off work, and … and … I actually don’t think I’m a confident enough person to assume that this kind of thing would work. But I certainly hoped.
So, you can imagine my surprise and excitement when each of my friends not only responded with a YES, but with enthusiasm, excitement, and several “what can I do to help’s?” It’s a humbling thing when people support you in any way, really, and this entire weekend was humbling in such a profound way for me. People putting their lives on hold for a while to be together, in celebration of our common interests, a greater mission to help others, and the desire to deepen friendships that had mostly been kept afloat by backlit screens, typing, photos, written captions, and 15-second social media videos – literal and figurative snapshots of our lives – is a powerful thing.
And so. We gathered together in Lexington, KY for a weekend I don’t think any of us will ever forget. Ryan and Adam from Husbands That Cook flew in from LA, Samantha from In the Midst drove down from Indianapolis, while Lyndsey Eden and Hayley Nedlund flew all the way from Victoria, BC to spend a few special days tucked away in Bluegrass country in lovely Fairyhouse Hall, our home for the weekend. With food provided by my partner Kroger Co., I prepared a Southern-style spread for everyone, with Lyndsey’s help, that included a few of my favorite things: pickled peaches, pimiento cheese, country ham-wrapped melon, sorghum-caramelized onion crostini, and spice-roasted cauliflower with creamy olive spread. Upon their arrival, Lyndsey greeted our guests with sparkling glasses of strawberry-studded champagne and the festivities didn’t slow down until we all hugged goodbye on the last morning.
Besides working together at the extraordinary meal-packaging event for Rise Against Hunger, pictured here (more details here), I was determined to show off my home state as best I could. We toured the Buffalo Trace Bourbon Distillery, which is without question the greatest stop I’ve ever made on the historic bourbon trail. Our guide, Freddie, was one-of-a-kind and I can’t imagine finding a better person to show you the ropes and teach you all there is to know about Kentucky’s beloved whiskey. He had us laughing (and even crying) throughout the entire tour and I honestly cannot recommend it more. If you go, tell them I sent you (I’m only kind of kidding).
We kicked off each day with a satisfyingly delicious breakfast from The Soulfull Project, whose oatmeals and hot cereal mixes can be purchased via their website. For every one you purchase, another will be sent to a regional food bank. Buy one, get one – an easy and delicious way to make a difference. I was thrilled to partner with them and urge you to support their products whenever you get the chance. For a fun oatmeal-inspired recipe idea, try this healthy Summer Stone Fruit and Raspberry Cream Breakfast Crisp.
We enjoyed gorgeous country drives along Kentucky’s Bluegrass Parkway, where Thoroughbreds graze peacefully in the many fence-lined fields that decorate the city. One of our drives led us to Windy Corner Market, a quaint country-style diner that serves up unpretentious, affordable KY eats in a setting that looks exactly like you hoped it would. The live Bluegrass music was the perfect cherry on top, and we all left happy as clams and stuffed to the gills.
On our final day together, we all got in the kitchen and whipped up the dishes that we shared on our blogs in the weeks leading up to the retreat – our “FEEDback recipes.” Lyndsey styled not one but two gorgeous table settings for us to enjoy, the first – a picnic-style spread filled with goodies from Kroger.
Our FEEDback Dinner took place outside as well, just beside the estate’s garden, under a towering oak tree (okay, honestly, I have no idea what kind of tree it was, but oak just sounds good .. so let’s roll with that). Lyndsey set a truly stunning table, complete with pieces I selected from Couleur Nature and Caravan – two websites that are now my go-tos when it comes to setting the perfect scene. We supplemented their lovely linens, glassware, tumblers, and marble cheeseboard with pieces of china and silver from the estate’s collection, creating an eclectic feast for the eyes. Lyndsey even lit a candelabra that set quite the dramatic scene, and we dined like kings and queens. This special dinner, and the attention we all gave it on our blogs and Instagram feeds in the weeks leading up to it, was all intended to shine a light on the reasons behind why we were there – community. connection. cooking. giving back. I plan to create a special, commemorative FEEDback Dinner e-book that will be for sale here on my site in the not too distant future. The recipes all turned out beautifully, after a big group shopping trip to one of the local Kroger stores, and I’m honestly not sure if we had more fun cooking them or eating them.
Though the great meals, cooking, tours, incredible accommodations, and special events all undoubtedly carved deep and lasting spaces into my memory, honestly, the thing that makes me smile as I write this, thinking back to that June weekend, were the fireflies. It’s just true; I can’t help it. Each night we’d end up in the backyard of our house, Fairyhouse Hall, sipping on wine and swinging contentedly in chairs suspended from the massive trees scattered all around. Just as the sun’s rays began to wane, their strength failing as nightfall crept its way in, those lighting bugs came out like clockwork. It’s something that has never gotten old to me and is one of my favorite things about the South. My friends had traveled all the way from the west coast and the Canadian Pacific Northwest and none of them had ever seen a firefly in person before – and I was totally amused by their enchantment over those little, magical bugs. They’d flicker up in the treetops above, decorating the leafy canopies like twinkling lights that someone had strung up when we weren’t looking, setting a timer so they’d know when it was time to dance.
“Lauren, did you plan those too?!” My friends joked. “Yes. Of course I did!” I replied, laughing at the thought. If only … my kids would be forever impressed ….
As I sit here now, in my kitchen far from the fireflies and many charms of Fairyhouse Hall, and all the rest of that weekend’s magic, I am filled with gratitude. To those of you who generously donated to our meal packaging event, making it possible to package and ship more than 10,000 nutritious meals to people in need. To those of you in Lexington who were generous enough to dedicate your Saturday morning to us and this incredibly important cause. Your time and efforts were so impactful and so many people will be better for it. Thank you. I’m grateful to my equally generous sponsors – Kroger Co., Tillamook, The Soulfull Project, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and Couleur Nature – for helping to make this weekend happen. And I am grateful to my friends; for traveling so far. For showing up. I swear the older I get the more I understand the value in doing just that . . .
When everything had come and gone, and this special weekend had wound itself all the way down, I found myself standing in my driveway, having just finished unpacking my car and unloading the weekend’s considerable supplies, provisions, and wares. The very last item I removed from the previously jam-packed vehicle was a small meal package from our event. We’d each gotten one to take home, as a way to remember our time together and to even prepare if we liked – to better understand what exactly we’d spent all that time creating. Vegetables. Soy protein. Rice. These are some of the simplest building blocks of life and thanks to Rise Against Hunger, they come together to help sustain people all over the world, every day.
Because I am a person who who doesn’t have to worry about where my next meal is coming from, I have the wonderful luxury, today, of reveling in what I like to consider some of life’s finest things. The intangibles: Friends. Love. And breaking bread with friends you love. These, too, are some of the simplest building blocks of life, and in that particular moment, as I stood there in the driveway, I felt utterly and completely sustained.
Lauren – What a beautiful summary of your selfless event! As I sit here in British Columbia reading your blog, I regret not participating in this important event. Clearly, it impacted you on many different levels. I hope you carry this with you long into the future and that you continue to do more of these projects. You are made to make a difference in the world…
This made my week. Thank you for always being so supportive! It’s so invaluable and greatly appreciated. Love to you guys today! Enjoy BC 🙂