Dried beans and crusty bread

Soup is one of my favorite cold weather meals to cook for a couple of reasons.  It is warm & hearty, relatively easy, and takes many delicious forms.  Even better, it provides a perfect excuse for buying another of my (non-seasonally dependent) favorite things: a fresh, crusty loaf of bread.

I made a simple white bean soup on Sunday afternoon.  For some odd reason, I've always been intimidated by dried beans, but I have been experimenting with them lately and haven't ruined anything yet.  I just wish they didn't take so long to cook.  This recipe could probably use some refinement (or maybe the hint of another herb - thyme? rosemary?), but it was pretty tasty as is.  Here is what I think I did.

White Bean Soup with Pancetta & Kale

1. Soak 1 lb. dried white beans (such as canellini) overnight in cold water or for at least an hour using this method: place in pot and cover by a couple of inches with water.  Bring to a rolling boil and let cook for a few minutes.  Turn off heat and cover pot with a lid.  Let sit.  In either method, drain the water before using the beans.
   
2. Saute some diced pancetta or Canadian bacon or ham in a soup pot until starting to brown.  Remove and set aside.  Deglaze the pot with a little water if there is a brown goodness building up on the bottom.
   
3. Add two onions, chopped, two-ish carrots, diced, and several cloves of garlic, minced, to the pot with a little olive oil and cook until soft.
   
4. Throw into the pot: the soaked beans, the pancetta, two bay leaves, a parmesan cheese rind, if you happen to have it, and enough water to comfortably cover it all.  You could also use stock in place of the water, though I have been trying to avoid the store-bought ones lately because they are so salty and you will be simmering for long enough to create your own flavorful broth from scratch.
   
5. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer gently.  Cook until the beans are as tender as you like.
   
6. At some point, season with some salt and pepper, to taste.
   
7. When the beans are just about done, add a bunch of kale (or spinach or arugula), chopped, and cook until it is wilted, approximately five minutes.
   
8. Fish out the bay leaves and cheese rind and serve.

A hot air balloon on a tether

Last Friday, for the second time in my life (the first being spring break of my senior year of college), I had to scrape snow off of my car before hopping in and heading for the beach.  The reason for this wintry trip to Rehoboth: a weekend-long retreat for the Volunteer Corps program that I help to coordinate through church.

There is something inherently compelling about being in a vacation town during the off season.  Quiet, uncluttered streets and open stretches of beach lend themselves to getting lost in thought.  True local businesses hum reliably along like beacons in stalwart relief to the blocks full of shuttered boardwalk kiosks and tourist traps.  The only other group of any size I saw was there for the annual Polar Bear Plunge, which happened to coincide with our visit.

It was against this backdrop that we gathered for a weekend of camaraderie and conversation.  The volunteers (five recent college graduates that the church houses for a year and sets up with assorted non-profit agencies in DC) developed an agenda around the theme of shared wisdom and life lessons for twenty-somethings.  Through this framework, we discussed accomplishments, regrets, and the milestones and decisions that have shaped our lives.

Aside from the chance to spend time with a fun group of people (I learned a new game, called Fishbowl, and got to play Mafia for the first time since college!), what I appreciated most about the weekend was the chance for meaningful reflection.  Occasional windbagging sessions with Maggie aside, I rarely take the time to ponder some of the big-picture issues and decisions that impact my life in such a thoughtful way, let alone benefit from the perspectives of others.  Often, when I think about these things, it is by way of worrying.  Stepping back a little was refreshing.

Some of the other things that will stick with me:

When describing his natural inclination to be adventurous and see the world, one person compared his mom and dad's parenting style to a hot air balloon on a tether.  They gave him the space to explore and grow, but helped to keep him grounded and tied to home and family.  For whatever reason, I thought that was enormously profound, particularly as he noted how he struggles to strike the same balance with his own kids.

In a room full of Ph.Ds, fellows at major think tanks, and assorted other decorated big-wigs, many people turned first to relationships with family and friends when discussing their proudest accomplishments.

Spirituality is defined differently by many people, but is, at root, tied to personal growth.

All in all a great weekend.  I've struggled quite a bit with how church fits in my life over the past few years, but this retreat, as a manifestation of the sense of grounding and support that I value and a jumping off point for thoughtful reflection, was pretty close to perfect.