"Forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate." -Anonymous
The assignment for this week is to practice savoring (and write a blog entry about it). Whether it be a favorite food, the outdoors, or your physics homework, the goal is to slow down and relish in the flavor or experience that it brings. This can be a very positive addition to your student life as it is essentially an excuse to relax from the business of school and work. Put your heart into this assignment and really tell a story of your savoring attempt. I guarentee that if you incorporate this into your life on a regular basis, you will learn to appreciate the small things much more!
Have fun!
Recently (on Halloween weekend) I had the opportunity to truly savor something from beginning to end...
ReplyDeleteMy family was celebrating my Grandpa's birthday and my Mom and I decide to make a homecooked meal and snacks and bring it to my Grandparents' house for a game night.
Our menu included: Creamy Chicken Wild rice soup, bread bowls, orange jello salad, spinach dip, fresh veggies, little "smokies", a trail/party mix, and carrot cake (My Grandpa's favorite!)
My Mom and I did the grocery shopping the morning of the gathering so everything was fresh...as much as what our schedules allowed for, we would have loved to drive to the Co-op, but time did not permit the 80 mile round trip travel from our home.
I made the soup from scratch and was able to savor the experience from peeling and chopping veggies to the last spoon full! As I made the soup and continued to piece ingredients into a wonderful masterpiece, I was able to understand the effort and appreciate the outcome...even my own love that I put into it tasted great!
My Mom and I actually had to call my Great Grandma and Uncle to tell them we were running behind not because WE weren't ready on time, but because the SOUP wasn't to perfection!
After the 65 mile trip we arrived and set up shop...the family grazed as I continued to finish up the soup and prepare the personal size bread bowls. Once our table prayer was done we all took our first bites....they were at a loss of words!!! From the veggies and spinach dip to the main course to the carrot cake the family's smiles became bigger and pants became tighter!
It was such a joy to know that the long hours of standing and preparing the food, travel time, and effort paid off greatly. It was a wonderful evening of family, laughs, and games...plus the take home portions!
This opportunity was great...I want to take the time to savor not only the final product but the whole experience more often and not just for special occasions (though that was a great start). You are able to savor not only food, but life as a whole...too often we get caught up in the big picture, when really it's all about the small elements that make the big picture. We simply need to SLOW DOWN!
The food I chose to savor this week was sweet and sour chicken. This weekend I spent my time at the College of Saint Benedict with my friend and my sister. Luckily, my sister is a senior and has a really nice apartment and no meal plan so we finally got a break from cafeteria food :) Friday night upon our arrival, some friends of my sister who are first generation Americans from Cambodia and China made us a meal of chicken and veggies and rice. It was delicious but with the busy night ahead I didn't not have the time to savor this meal.
ReplyDeleteSaturday night on the other hand, I had the pleasure of savoring our dinner. My sister, friend, and I made sweet and sour chicken. The preparation was a part of the savoring process. We were in no rush and spent time chopping carrots, peppers, onions, and pinapple as well as cutting the fat off of the chicken and nicly cutting it into cubes. We cooked the meat and rice and then put them together and added the veggies and sauce. The process of cooking a meal instead of just heating something up in the microwave was very rewarding. The meal tasted great and I was able to enjoy every bit without rushing. Who needs take out when you can cook it yourself?!
I chose to savor something other than food; silence. After a long day from going to class to class and listening to hour long lectures, there is nothing I love more than to come home and take a while to enjoy the quietness. Whether I'm taking a nap, I'm making myself lunch, or doing my homework, the silence of it all is just so relaxing to me. There are no people running around, screaming across the room, or making weird noises. (College students, I've learned by sitting in Storms Den, tend to do that). I love to savor my down time: the boiling pot of spaghetti noodles on the stove, the furnace running, my pencil on my notebook are all the only things I can hear. It is such a great way to get away from my noise filled, stressful day. It's always my favorite part of my day.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend I got to savor two things in one. This weekend my dad came up to visit me on his way back home from a hunting trip. We went out to eat at olive garden. Which was really great because it is one of my favorite restaurants and it was 100 times better then the food here. I really took the time to savor my soup that i ordered there and really just took time to really taste the flavors. It was really nice for a change to actually take time out and enjoy food, especially when it is good food. Another thing that I got to savor this weekend was the time that I got to spend with my dad. Back when I was living at home during the summer I really didn't get to see my dad very much because of how much he had to work and how much I was working. When I did get to spend time with him it was with all of my other siblings so really there was just a couple of times over the summer that I got to spend just one on one time with him. So this was really a nice opportunity to spend more time with him. I really enjoyed it a lot, just being able to talk to him face to face instead of over the phone. It was just really nice to bond over a meal and not have to worry about time for once.
ReplyDeleteThe food I choose to savor was one of my mom's homemade pumpkin bars. Usually I am a fast eater, even though I know it is not good, but I really tried to eat and savor the pumpkin bar. I decided that in order to do this i would eat the bar with a fork. With each bite, the flavor became better and better. The moist pumpkin cake bottom and the rich cream cheese frosting complimented each other by taste and texture. I use my fork to clean up any crumbs or frosting left on the plate and finish my treat off with a glass of milk. Eating the bar with a fork really helped me slow down. I have been trying to eat slower at meals but the ingrained habit of eating my meals fast is hard to break.
ReplyDeleteI chose to savor one of my favorite things. Cake. Usually I am in a hurry and eat as fast as I can but this time i tried so slow it down. I took one bite, then set it down and waited before taking a second bite. In the time in between I took the opportunity to really think about it and see if i could taste every one of the ingredients. The frosting was fairly easy to savor and I could taste the powdered sugar, butter, and food coloring pretty clearly. I found the frosting alone a little hard to eat though and that is when the cake is the perfect compliment it's moist and yet not quite as sweet as the frosting. I also noticed that when I eat a bite of only frosting I am kind of left with not the best after taste but I think it has to do with the amount of food coloring in it. Another thing i have noticed is that you eat a lot less when you can set it down in between bites. I had a human nutrition teacher who talked about a conference she went to and they got a bag of chips but the had to take one chip and chew it for a long time until the speaker said they could stop and sfter about 2-3 chips like that no body even wanted any more. i have tried that and it works for me so sometimes it is good to slow down and set your fork/ spoon down in between every bite and wait because also your body won't send you a signal saying your full until after the fact if you eat fast and then you feel sick and especially if you are looking to lose weight and do portion control this is a good technique.
ReplyDeleteI decided to savor something that is very simple and that we do twice day everyday or more if wanted or I guess less but that is sort of gross. I decided to simply savor brushing your teeth. This is something I think people should really cherish. I mean back in the old days a long time of go people didn't even brush there teeth. They just slowly rotted away giving really bad breath at the same time. So brushing my teeth is something I always do and is so refreshing and good. Putting that mint toothpaste on the brush and then putting in into my mouth. Then I start brushing circles and circles making sure I get every tooth perfectly clean, in the front of the tooth and on the back. And don't forget the tongue to make sure my breath is just minty fresh. Once I’m all done I rinse my mouth out with a few glasses of water. Then I have to say ahh because you are refreshed and every single tooth is smooth and clean and also very healthy. I do believe people savor brushing their teeth but they don't ever think about how great it feels brushing your gums and having those silky smooth teeth every day and night.
ReplyDeleteEarlier this semester when we wrote about what our favorite food was, I wrote about cheesecake. Well recently, about right after mid-terms, my parents were not about to make it to my last soccer game, but sent me a the best gift for getting good grades thus far- a whole cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory :) I was SO pumped! I decided to share it with girls on the team, because they were part of the reason I did so well this far in the semester. While eating it, I slowed down and had to close my eyes to savor the taste. I hadn't had cheesecake in so long, and because I had worked so hard for it, it made the taste so much better! When I slowed down to savor the taste,I notice the little details that I've missed before. I finally serve myself a slice of cheesecake and the center of the cake is exposed to reveal the perfect pale tan color of the cream cheese and eggs beaten together. As I begin to eat, my fork breaks the toasted top with a quiet crunch, and then glides through the creamy center until it reaches the firm crust at the bottom. When my fork has finally gathered a satisfactory bite for me to eat, I dive right in. My mouth begins to melt the second I place the custard like cream cheese filling on my tongue, followed by the slight crunch of the graham cracker crust. The creamy, spongy, sugary cream cheese filling melts over my mouth and I feel as though I am eating a sweet cloud. It brought me back to spending Christmas at my Grandma's house and having her make her signature cheesecake for me.
ReplyDeleteOver the weekend I went to a family friends house to spend the night. For dinner she ended up making us one of my favorites, beef fajitas! I never stop to savor the taste of them because inhaling the food seems much easier. However, when I actually stopped, slowed down, and enjoyed my food it ended up tasting even better than I previously thought. The beef had a seasoning on it that had a slightly spicier flavor to it but nothing intense. The beef was in a skillet with onions and some green peppers and I realized that both of these flavors were not just a condiment on the fajita but had actually soaked into the meat to give it more flavor. The onions became a tan color instead of white as it had soaked up the juices in the skillet and had been cooked so that they weren't crunchy like raw, they had more of a limpness to them but had huge bursts of flavor. The guacamole, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream condiments only kept adding to this savoring experience. The guacamole had more of a neutral flavor but still added and the sour cream added that bit of sour flavor to offset the spicy in the meat. I fully ate one beef fajita and it had taken me 40 minutes to eat. There was a bit of talking added to this but the majority was spent eating my meal. I was surprised I made one item last so much longer than a whole meal usually would. I felt full by the end and more satisfied with the meal for the fact that I actually experienced the flavors of the food.
ReplyDeleteInstead of savoring food this week, I decided to savor a conversation with my dad. He usually calls me everyday but the phone call only lasts a few minutes because I am either on my way to class and busy, or he can't talk for very long because he is working. I actually sat down and listened to how his day was going and he asked me how everything was going with school and my friends. It was nice to actually have a conversation that wasn't rushed and he could actually tell me what he is thinking about. We talked for about forty minutes. I usually take advantage of talking to him everyday on the phone. I know that he will call again tomorrow so I don't feel bad telling him that I can't talk for long or if I'm not in the mood to talk with him. I enjoyed savoring this conversation knowing that he could be doing anything else but instead he wanted to talk to me and make sure that I am doing all right. He told me he was proud of me and that if I need something he will do whatever he can. I'm going to start savoring other conversations that I have with my family and friends that I don't get to see often because it felt so good to have a relaxed conversation. I enjoyed every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteFriday has been the day to go out for fish. Hence "Fish-Fry" Ever since I can remember my family and I have gone out for dinner every friday for fish. We always went somewhere local, but not always the same place every night because we like the variety and choices different restaurants offer.
ReplyDeleteAs a cook on friday nights I prepare Haddock for customers. We offer fish as deep-fried or broiled with a choice of potato along with Garlic toast, coleslaw, tartar sauce and lemon.
As I prepare my own meal I see all the different colors these foods make on my plate. The red and whit from the fish, a brown baked potato, yellow garlic toast, green and orange colslaw, white tartar sauce and of course a yellow lemon. I can smell the tempting atmosphere this plate is giving me from the smell of the potato to the small hint of the lemon. The first bite is just as great as the last one. My bites are small and stritcly one food group. The fish is moist and baked just right. The potato is a little dry, but startchy but so yummy! The garlic bread is toasted to perfection as the butter/garlic mixture oozes from the pores of the bread.
It took me about 30 mins to enjoy my delicious meal and I'm glad I did! It was a great feeling and I hope to do this more often.
I had the chance to savor something from my recent past... swimming. Although I did not go swimming, I savored swimming in a new way... watching. I went to my team's section meet this past Saturday and realized how much I love the sport and my old friends. I sat down in the stands, the chlorine instantly reminding me the icy cold waters and freshly shaven legs and arms. (Please don't freak, swimmers don't shave until the big meet) I talked to some of the parents and laughed, asked questions, and really bonded with them. They told me to go down to the pool deck to say hi so I did. The first girl to see me was Sam, who came running to give me a hug. The next was Bailey, who hugged me and lifted me off my feet. I'm pretty sure we stood there for almost a minute. The third person was Jill, who was in the pool and splashed me which was very refreshing since the air temperature is 80 or higher. I finally saw my coach, Sheri, who also gave me a big hug. I continued to talk with the team for 15 minutes and the longer I stood there, the more I wanted to be in my suit and swimming. I went back to the stands and waited for the meet to start. Each race came and went and I got just as nervous as if I were about to swim. Instead, I cheered louder and louder for my team. Especially during close races, I could feel my throat throbbing as though the more I screamed, individual vocal cords were bursting. I clapped until my hands were red. I even lost my breath while cheering. I felt such a sense of school pride, and I really enjoyed it. I think people need to have something, no matter what it is, to feel extreme proud of. It gives you something to live for and a sense of belonging.
ReplyDeleteI never did realize how busy someone’s life can be until recently. I’m always rushing to class, to and from practices, games, and homework. I feel like life really never slows down. So at the end of a really busy/stressful Tuesday (those are the worst days) it was nice to take a timeout from life. I decided to savor washing my face; I know it sounds a little strange. It felt really nice to feel the warm water against my skin. If for only a moment it felt as though it was washing away my stresses and worries. I think if I could find a way to savor more things in my life I would enjoy them so much more. When we are always rushing from one place to the next and thoughts are flowing through our heads at hundreds of words at a time it’s nice to pump the breaks enough to truly enjoy the simple things.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I chose to savor this week was snow. Winter is my favorite season of the year because of snow. I walked outside on Saturday on my way to a friend’s car, and held my black mitten out to catch some of the snowflakes. They showed up vividly against the black, it was amazing to see all the different designs. No two snowflakes are ever the same! Every little white point sticking out, every perfectly shaped crystal. I stood there looking them for a while watching them slowly melt into water droplets and be replaced by more. Then I reached down and started packing the new, moist snow into a perfect snowball, ready to be launched at someone. I paid attention to the feeling the crunch of the snow, the weight of the ball. My friend made the perfect entrance to have a snowball thrown at him, and a short, fun snowball fight ensued, ending with me getting covered in snow because he could throw much better than I.
ReplyDeleteAnother way I was able to savor the feeling of the snow was by skiing. Skiing is why I love winter. I love the feel of gliding over the snow and being able to kick up the hills. Even though my ski adventure this time was limited to the soccer field and Alpha Chi hillside, it was a marvelous way to savor the feeling. Kicking a fresh track into the snow, feeling it compact beneath you, attempting to skate through inches of powder. There is no better way to enjoy an afternoon in the snow. Plus the positive time taken to just breathe and relax, letting your life slow down for a little while.
(what some of the snowflakes looked like: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2310/2149752970_440bca217f_z.jpg?zz=1 )
I savored something most people in Minnesota usually take for granted. SNOW! I love winter but tonight I was savoring something rather amazing! A couple of friends and me went sliding down some really small hill on campus this night. We had great time trying to find a good spot to have some real fun. But after awhile we gave up, and I found myself alone right above the football field next to the cemetery surrounded by the white stuff. It’s kinda hard to explain, but it’s like when you’re laying there in that fluffy pile of “goodness” looking at Lake Superior, I feel this great sensation of awe come on to me.
ReplyDeleteI chose to savor something besides food; tanning. I love the summer. I love going to the beach to lay in the sun and tan. Spending time with friends and enjoying the weather. Because we live in northern Minnesota our summers are short. Although I know tanning is not the healthiest thing for your body I love it. On Monday before my 3:30 class I went tanning. I savored it. I was not in a hurry. It was freezing out. From the moment I walked into Baja I began to savor it. The smell of tanning lotion lingered the building. I walked into the room and looked around me. Colored walls with decorations and pictures. I turned the radio to country. As i put my lotion on I took my time and rubbed it in well. I turned the bed on and laid and relaxed for 15 minutes. I shut my eyes and savored the smell of my lotion and the warmth of the bed. I thought about nothing except my experience in the bed. All my worries went away for that 15 minutes and warmed me up. I got a darker tan and felt better as a person. Tanning helps dry up my face and get rid of my acne. Usually my experience of tanning is I'm in a rush to get to class or work and am constantly thinking the entire time in there what I have to get done. The silence, warmth, and music helped me relax and focus on nothing but the moment. It was very interesting. I realized I rarely savor anything in my daily life because I am such a busy person that even 15 minutes can have an impact. I will definitely try to savor things more often.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went home this weekend it was because it was my birthday weekend and I wanted to have a birthday dinner with my family. I chose to have my dad's flank steak because that is one thing he can do very well. He lets the steak marinate in a mixture of worchester sauce, soy sauce, and dijon mustard. When it is cooked he slices it into thin strips and serves it on a large plate in the middle of the table. First bite rewards you with a delicious mix of the marinade and the natural juices of the steak. Juicy is an understatement for this steak. It is perfectly done, still dark pink and not to chewy. I savored the first strip of meat, but after that I devoured the rest. It was a wonderful birthday meal and it beats the crap out of GDR birthday night!
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I savored the past week was taking a warm long shower after hockey. Usually I have to take a quick shower right after hockey practice because I have class. But this past week I had extra time so I took advantage of it and took a long shower. It was so warm and it made my body feel so much better. I never realized how great a warm shower feels and I guess always took something as simple as a shower for granted. I am going to try as hard as I can to savor more things in my life because it is so much better.
ReplyDeleteThis week my floor had Thanksgiving dinner in the GDR. It was so delicious! One thing that I really made sure I savored though was the stuffing. Stuffing is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal for sure! It's so soft and flavorful with all the different seasonings and stuff in it. I love to just eat it very slowly and let the taste really sink in. Then as soon as I finish I'm back for seconds. I love stuffing!!
ReplyDeleteI did not know what I was going to take time doing, so I chose my mom's sweet potatoes from thanksgiving break. Her sweet potatoes have always been one of my favorite parts of the meal, besides the stuffing, which she butchered this year. Too much rye bread, if you ask me. I love how perfectly soft the sweet potatoes are and their wonderful taste. My mom boils them until just tender, then finishes cooking them in a caserole dish wit hbutter and marshmellows. They are so yummy!
ReplyDeleteChristmas is my favorite holiday and both my roommate and I can't wait long enough until we start decorating and listening to Christmas music. When I was deciding on what I should savor, I thought the best thing I could do and enjoy the most would be to sit and listen to Christmas music. My roommate and I lit candles, sat on our futon and listened to Mariah Carey sing about the holidays. We inhaled the vanilla aroma that the candle gave off and sat in silence enjoying the peace and quiet we felt. No textbooks, no pencils or paper, just peace and quiet. I felt a sigh of relief throughout the whole experience and it just made me appreciate the peace that seems to be overcome by essays, hockey practice and reading. It was nice to just sit and relax and enjoy the Christmas spirit.
ReplyDeletei savored thanksgiving, with my family. We are sometimes gone for thanksgiving and it makes things hard on me and my brother because we love seeing our family. We have been gone for the last 5 years straight during christmas so seeing my family then never happens as well. I love my family, but at times i feel disconnected from them, thats why it was really good to see everyone, and catch up and share the stories from the last year. As i was there i was slowly taking in what was happening and listening to every one talk, it made me happy to hear the chatter and smell the delicious smell of a Thanksgiving meal which was on its way out.
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