The Talbot House is a sober living home in Tupelo. It is for women who have completed an addiction treatment program and are transitioning back into society. It is a beautiful home that provides safety and stability for these women while also training them in life skills. For more information, go to their website: http://talbothousetupelo.org.
Our friend from Northern India, Sunita Prasad, shared her food traditions with these ladies. We all gathered in the Talbot House kitchen and together, we cooked Indian Shrimp Curry, rice and Chick Pea Salad. Several of us had never tasted Indian cuisine before and it was a new and fun experience!
Sunita talked about cooking methods unique to her culture and brought her Indian spice box to show everyone. An spice box is a staple in any Indian kitchen. It is a collection of whole and fresh spices such as coriander, cardamom, turmeric and curry.
As all our cooking classes are, this was a hands-on experience for the residents at the Talbot House. We created a traditional Indian meal together and then enjoyed each other's company as we shared it. It was a very sweet time and a brand new experience for some.
"Cooking as a First Language was such an amazing experience for the ladies of Talbot House Sober Living Home. These ladies are learning to grow and thrive as sober individuals- which involves a lot of them having to step out of their comfort zone. To have Lauren and Sunita come to our home and teach these ladies how to create a wonderful authentic Indian meal, was a huge step in their journey. They were able to gain skills in the kitchen. They were also able to venture outside of their normal cuisine and experience other foods from around the world. There was a lot of team work, and even more fellowship. There is truly nothing more beautiful than seeing a group of women working together to create something wonderful."
-Becky Weatherford, Talbot House Director