Week 47 - Food Week - Olivia finds opportunities to broaden her food horizons

Edited bY

G P Kennedy

Olivia – Liverpool, UK

Food and lockdown

 No matter where you are on the globe, food is such a huge part of our lives. When the start of the pandemic turned every aspect of our lives upside down in 2020, the types of food that we eat, make, and buy also changed.

 When I found myself suddenly working from home, I wondered how I would cope without the lunchtime supermarket trips and snacks that were bought on-the-go.

Without access to these places, I started to take the time to have breakfast every day and make my lunches, rather than rushing out of the house without any.

 In times of uncertainty, we want comfort food that’s going to make us (temporarily) feel good. I was therefore delighted that a lot of restaurants chose to stay open and turn themselves into delivery services instead. 

 “Let them eat cake!” became a rallying cry within our home as I fed my sweet tooth and ordered sugary feasts of milkshakes, ice cream, and cupcakes for me and my sisters to enjoy.

On some days, this sugar spike was what got us through. Life is uncertain, so why not eat dessert first?

 With all the extra time due to no longer commuting, I had time to try out new recipes.

After being a vegetarian for 15 years (purely for taste reasons) I started making meals with more chicken and fish to make my diet more rounded. I even found a cookbook for ‘part-time vegetarians’ like myself.

 When feeling stressed, I find cooking and baking to be really soothing. After looking at a computer screen all day, I’m able to switch off by doing something practical and focusing solely on the task at hand.

There’s also a sense of achievement that comes from sitting down to eat a tasty meal with your family after your efforts. 

 Lockdown afforded me more time to help my Mum out by cooking dinners for the whole family on the days that she works; a tradition that we’re going to keep up in the future too.

Sharing food that you have made with others is truly love made visible.

 On my lockdown walks this year, I came across a massive world foods market in Toxteth.

The area of Liverpool is known for its rich cultural mix, with residents hailing from around the world. 

 I regularly walk around the market in awe at all the colors, sights, and smells. As well as fresh fruit and vegetables, you’ll find rows of spices, oils, kinds of honey, nuts, and cheeses inside.  

 Going there has prompted me to start learning about Nigerian foods that just aren’t available in the supermarkets. I was fascinated to see vegetables like okra, plantain, and yam, and to learn about their unique health benefits. 

 I have yet to make a feast that involves them all, but I know that when I do, it will be the sort of cooking that brings nourishment to both the soul and body.

 Before the pandemic, Granby Street Market would usually take place just around the corner from here on a monthly basis. 

 It’s a place where you can try cuisines from everywhere from Poland to Jamaica and Lebanon. 

 People from the area make the food at home in their kitchens and bring it along to sell from tables and stalls along with clothes and other trinkets.

It’s a place where good food and live music brings people together, and where you’ll find that there is no greater love than the love of food.