Tibetan Buddhist monks at the Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh, India. (Photo: Kristin Teig, Courtesy W. W. Norton & Company). Kristin Teig (Courtesy W. W. Norton & Company)
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“The stomach bears the feet.” Or so says the Bereshit Rabbah, a Jewish midrash, or commentary, on the book of Genesis from 400 C.E. For some, this phrase suggests that hope fuels our actions, but as a food writer, I think it means that being well-fed compels us to action, binding us to our faith and to our communities. This idea is borne out in Elysian Kitchens, a cookbook about food and faith that chronicles how individuals residing in 11 spiritual spaces across the globe feed and sustain one another. Journalist Jody Eddy chronicles the culinary traditions and food-focused labors of Buddhist monks, Maronite priests, Catholic nuns, and the many religious devotees who feed the spiritual collectives to which they belong. In its exceptional recipes and expansive essays, accompanied by stunning photographs from Kristin Teig, Elysian Kitchens affirms a central belief for all food lovers: In every corner of the world, cooking is an anchor for our communities, cultures, and beliefs.
Courtesy W.W. Norton & Company
While producing
