Stir A Memory

Sweet Happiness

2011-09-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Time and memory are so intertwined. A recent work, 'Sweet Happiness' brings together the idea of food, time and happiness.

Meanwhile food memories keep coming in. The other day Ed shared a moving story about the memory of lentil soup that French soldiers served him and his little sister many, many years ago. Read more at: www.stiramemory.org

Sweet Nostalgia

2011-06-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

'Sweet Nostalgia' an image about memories of sweets and candies.

Spices

2011-03-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

The upcoming 'Stir a Memory' event at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem brought back memories of the store where we buy our spices in Nadiad. 14 different spices go into the Garam Masala sold at the store that has been in our town for over 50 years. Each store and family has their special Garam Masala recipe. Garam Masala is often mistakenly called "curry powder."
Share a food memory and participate in the spice blending workshop at the museum on April 2 and 3, 2011.

Weekly Food Memory Postcards

2011-03-05T12:53:00.001-08:00

I will post a personal food memory postcard each week. Please visit the 'Stir a Memory' website. Meanwhile here is this week's food memory postcards.

Video Postcards of Food Memories

2011-02-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

Joel Benjamin shares a memory of his grandmother's cookies. Check out his beautiful photography work at: www.joelbenjaminphotography.com

New Postcards

2011-01-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

We receive food memory postcards regularly. They are posted at: www.stiramemory.org

Grandma

2011-01-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

Paan - condiments wrapped in a Betel leaf was another forbidden food for children but if it came from the Krishna Haveli which means Krishna's temple we were allowed a little piece. It was considered prasad - food offered to Krishna and so blessed by Krishna. Paan reminds me of Grandma. When I think of her I see her soft cream or white pure cotton sarees some of them tastefully embroidered with small motifs.The lotus buds brings to mind her devotion to Krishna as does the paan symbolically shown in the right lower corner.

I still have Grandma's sari with the blue flowers.

Chai

2011-01-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

Just as many in the US wake up to coffee, Indians wake up to the sounds of chai being made. Chai, means tea in many Indian languages. In my experiences growing up in India, chai is not a cup of foaming spiced beverage but an ordinary blend of black tea leaves simmered in water, milk, sugar and maybe some ginger. I have loved chai since I was a child. Children were not allowed to drink chai or coffee for that matter. My siblings used to suggest that for my birthday mother should just let me have a kettle of chai!

I made this food memory postcard of morning chai. When I remember mornings in my childhood home in Calcutta I see a kettle, traces of my mother's embroidery on a pink tea-cosy and a billiant sunrise.

Dusk

2010-12-25T18:22:00.000-08:00

The sound of conch shells. Dusk. Time to come home to start the evening rituals. Homework. Dinner. Conversations at the dining table.

Food Journal: Mangoes

2010-12-25T10:09:00.000-08:00

Mangoes remind me of India. Hot summer afternoon. Dim shade of a cool room. The fan whirs overhead. The scent of ripe mangoes linger.

My Food Journal

2010-12-25T10:03:00.000-08:00

A food journal is a great way to recall and share our food experiences. I'll start posting entries from my food journal here.

Winter Lights on the Rose Kennedy Greenway

2010-12-23T11:24:00.001-08:00

Please visit www.stiramemory.org for updates.

Strands of Memory: Amah

2010-10-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

The Text:
17 years ago. I'm 5 years old. I frequently do sleepovers at my Amah's (Grandma's) house. I wake up to the sights and smells of her making homemade shu-mai. Her house always smelled like the most delicious chinese food and it always made me happy when she let me help her cook. She was a pro.

2010-10-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Text:
When my great-grandmother was still alive, we celebrated her birthday every year - all of us, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We always had her favorite Lemon Jello Poke (Pole?) Cake.

Strands of Memory

2010-10-24T06:24:00.000-07:00

The text:
When I think of being a little girl and visiting my grandparents in Long Island, NY - I think of waking up to the smell of sizzling meatballs. My grandpa Angelo would cook them early in the day, then let them simmer in his homemade tomato sauce until dinner. I remember eating meatballs on a fork, fresh out of the frying pan right after breakfast on sauce days.
GRANDPA'S TOMATO SAUCE & MEATBALLS Yum!

2010-10-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

More food memory postcards at: www.stiramemory.org

Map of Food Memories

2010-10-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

Click here to view my ongoing map of food memories. Also tweeting food memories @stiramemory

2010-10-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

CLICK TO view Food Memory Postcards.

Postcards being posted regularly.

2010-10-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN NOW VIEW THE STIR A MEMORY COMMUNITY'S FOOD MEMORIES AND STORIES AT:
WWW.KITCHENTHINKERS.COM

2010-10-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

7 years old child's and her friend's memory

Beautiful Boston

2010-10-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN NOW VIEW THE STIR A MEMORY COMMUNITY'S FOOD MEMORIES AND STORIES AT:
WWW.KITCHENTHINKERS.COM

The Boston Local Food Festival was today. And it was a beautiful day. Beautiful weather, people, memories. I am starting to post the memories that people shared. There are so many. Happy, sad, moving, funny...I love seeing them side by side and people love it too. Reading someone else's memory reminds them of theirs and so it goes. Stories set side by side. I am trying to get them online. In the meantime do share your memories in the comment section below.

Memories shared at 'Local Food Global Roots 'event at Boston Local Food Festival

2010-09-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

LindaG

2010-09-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Courtney Moy

2010-09-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Fort Point artist

2010-09-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

Liliana Folta, FPAC artist

2010-09-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Z told me this story about her baby's first mango experience. Got me thinking about mangoes. Made me wonder when I had my first mango. I love mangoes!

2010-09-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Dwyer FPAC artist

2010-09-22T12:42:00.001-07:00

2010-09-18T04:46:00.001-07:00

2010-09-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

Laura Davidson, Fort Point Arts Community member

2010-09-16T00:47:00.001-07:00

2010-09-16T00:46:00.001-07:00

2010-09-16T00:45:00.001-07:00

2010-09-16T00:42:00.000-07:00

Mail Art

2010-08-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

Mail - snail mail and email - are a necessity especially when friends and family are in far off places. That's why I started looking into the idea of mail art for the 'Stir a Memory' project. Mail art by definition means art that has been through the mail system.
This is the first postcard I made for the 'Stir a Memory' project:

Postcard 00

Call for Art

2010-08-08T10:36:00.000-07:00

You are invited to participate in a mail art project for the Boston Local Food Festival. Postcards can be picked up in the Fort Point neighborhood or send an email with your address to receive a blank postcard. Postcards will be on display on October 2, 2010 at the Boston Local Food Festival and at a local gallery after the festival. Thank you and look forward!

Mail a Memory

2010-08-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

You are invited to share a food memory for a group art project.

1. Pick up a postcard or send an email with your address to receive a postcard.
2. Think of a time, place and/or person and the related food.
3. Visualize that situation. Then write and/or show through words and images
4. Sign or remain anonymous.
5. Stamp and mail to:
Stir a Memory
PO Box: 51042
Boston, MA02205

You can also download the postcard template below:

Stir a Memory Postcard Back