How Pound Cake Builds Community
It’s a not so well-kept secret that we love food over at ERG Headquarters. We love our schools and our teachers and growing all learners, but the topic of food is usually next on the list when we are done talking shop. One day, when thinking about why we love food so much and why it occupies our conversations and brain space, we came to the realization that food is actually a key player in much larger values at ERG: building community & relationships.
We instinctively know that our work is nothing without the humans with whom we work. And in order to work well, we must have solid relationships. This means internally, ERG must assemble a team of amazing service providers to support and grow ideas at each site. This also means that externally, the people within our projects must trust ERG not only to be a high-quality professional development resource, but also consider us as part of their educational community.
Which brings us back to food.
Food should be consumed at the table. It is designed to nourish our bodies. In our fast-paced lives, we are guilty of eating in our cars and even standing up. But, this is not how it should be! Food brings people to the table and creates a space to be present, even if only for a few minutes.
This presence creates trust, which just happens to be a foundation of healthy communities and relationships. The table trust comes through story-telling, question-asking, and active listening. It comes from taking turns. It comes from sharing thinking. It comes from setting the table together and tidying up when the meal is done. The table can create empathy, spark new ideas, and provide common ground.
If you have not already, ERG challenges you to think about a way you can create time for a table and gather over the coming months. At work or at home. It doesn’t have to be made-from scratch Pinterest worthy food…just make time to gather, add food, and see what grows.
Questions for Reflection & Discussion:
- How does this concept parallel the trust we want to build in our schools and our classrooms? Where are your “tables” in your day to day work? In your personal lives?
- What happens at your tables?
- How can food become a tool for common ground in your context?
Below is a recipe we love and hope you will, too!
Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
From the kitchen of: Alice Oakley via Mary Hutchins of Walkertown, NC in 1995. Mary is one of Alice’s former teaching mates & School Mamas.
Why is this recipe significant? This recipe is simple but satisfying. It is appropriate for almost any situation, whether it is a hip brunch, a fancy dinner, or a casual potluck at school. Kids and amateur bakers can all make this and everyone walks away happy. What better way to build community than sharing this cake?!
Recipe:
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 small instant chocolate pudding
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 8 oz sour cream
- 1 small package chocolate chips
- Grease a Bundt pan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together the dry cake mix and chocolate pudding.
- Make a hole in the center of the dry mixture.
- Add all the wet ingredients except the chocolate chips.
- Beat well.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into Bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes.
