Inspiration
These people, books, and organizations inspire us to keep cooking in our dinner co-ops.
Co-op America
Co-op America's mission is to harness economic power--the strength of consumers, investors, and businesses--to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. This non-profit group works for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the bounty of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come. Their motto is "Live healthier, save more, make a difference." Visit the site
Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet magazine
Reichl understands that food itself is entertainment. Her food writing is always engaging, entertaining, and real. It's fun to watch Reichl and her staff use words and pictures to whip up regular people into a gourmet frenzy. We use our dinner co-ops to channel that frenzy. Visit the site
Barbara Kingsolver, author of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
Kingsolver tells the tale of her family's move to southern Appalachia in their quest to realign their lives with the food chain. They spend an unforgettable year raising and growing, canning and preserving much of their own food while deepening their connection to the natural world. Visit the site
Slow Food USA
Slow Food USA believes that "pleasure and quality in everyday life can be achieved by slowing down, respecting the convivial traditions of the table and celebrating the diversity of the earth's bounty." Visit the site
Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Independence is overrated! In his landmark book, Covey celebrates “interdependence” as the ultimate effective state. We’ve learned through our dinner co-ops how much more effective our families can be when we lean on each other to get dinner on the table. Visit the site
Bill Buford, author of Heat
In Heat, Buford writes about “cooking with love.” When you cook with love, every dish is a unique event—-you never allow yourself to forget that a person is waiting to eat it: your food, made with your hands. Great to keep in mind when you’re cooking for a co-op.
Julie Powell, author of Julie and Julia: My year of cooking dangerously
A funny and triumphant tell-all of a secretary at a crossroads who uses a famous Julia Child cookbook to lead her out of the darkness. A new author who gets her start with a bawdy, well-written blog. Visit the site
Michael Ruhlman, author of Soul of a Chef: The Journey Toward Perfection
Ruhlman takes us in real-time to the Culinary Institute of America, where he follows a few talented and beloved regional chefs as they proceed to flunk the incredibly rigorous Master Chef Exam. Raising the question: Should perfection be pursued at the expense of warmth and hospitality? For us weeknight cooks, the answer is No. Visit the site
100 Mile Diet
A typical ingredient in a modern meal has traveled 1,500 miles from farm to plate. The 100-Mile Diet is a local-eating experiment you can try for yourself, and it’s much easier when you’re in a dinner co-op. Visit the site
The Mommies Network
A support network for mothers that spans 75 communities in 25 states and one in Canada. Their goal is to help mothers find support and friendship in their local community. Visit the site
Dr. William Sears and Attachment Parenting
Since they were very small, we’ve encouraged our kids to help prepare and deliver co-op meals right along side of us. This is an example of a parenting style we’ve naturally pursued, sometimes called “attachment parenting,” a term coined by Dr. William Sears. The end result (we hope) of attachment parenting is a secure, confident kid and a happy parent. Visit the site
Northwest Earth Institute
NWEI motivates individuals to examine and transform personal values and habits, accept responsibility for the Earth and act on that commitment. Since we’re in this earth-friendly habit of taking turns cooking and delivering, we live up to these values without making any personal sacrifices. Visit the site
Alpha Mom
A web-based network intended to support all sorts of moms who care for children while balancing work, health, and sanity. Visit the site