The Route to Roux

Jun 24

By 826 Valencia

*Illustration by Song En Huang, age 10.*

In collaboration with Kain Na, a nonprofit managed and operated by Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) that’s focused on food insecurity, students explored the connection between food and community by creating original writing, photography and drawings pieces that will soon be displayed on Kain Na’s Community Art Wall. The workshop aimed to amplify and share the diversity of food cultures and practices as experienced and exposed to our youth. They learned various skills such as storytelling, photography and more!

Mercy Smith, Age 13

Journey of Food

Roux (for gumbo) [flour + butter]

Flour

Grain to be planted

Harvested by farmers

Sent to mill

Processes at mill

Sent to factory to be sifted through and bagged

Back into a truck and stored in warehouse

Brought to grocery store

Observed and touched by many people

Finally bought

Butter

Cow/goat born

Raised

Milked by farmers

Nur Schlenker, Age 9

My Meals

When I eat, I thrive.

When I eat, I survive.

When I eat, I connect to my culture.

Garlicky Skillet Green Beans

Serves 4

Nur Schlenker

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound green beans, trimmed

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Directions:

In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 1 minute (oil should be hot but not smoking).

Add green beans, salt, and pepper and cook, string occasionally with rubber spatula, until spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes.

Carefully add water to the skillet. Cover and cook until the green beans are bright green, about 2 minutes. Use an oven mitt to remove the lid (be careful-steam will be hot!).

Increase heat to medium-high and cook until water evaporates, about 1 minute.

Stir in butter and garlic and cook, stirring often, until green beans are lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn off heat. Use a spatula to transfer green beans to a serving platter. Serve.

Song En Huang, Age 10

Giving Air

Food connects to my community or culture by being

eating and sharing.

Sharing food means

sharing air.

I grab air and give the air

to random people.

826 Valencia

Whetstone is pleased to work with 826 Valencia, an organization that supports underserved students in creative and technical writing. We’ll be sharing student poems and pieces about food.