Let’s Break Bread Together

There have been a series of events that have and continues to divide this country from political views to social isolation to racism! How did we get here? How do we bring people together again? The answer isn’t so simple or is it?

“Let’s break bread together” is a simple phrase that carries the depth of unity despite differences of political, cultural, and religious beliefs! The phrase has been used in Biblical times by Christ….

however, bread goes back even further (3,000 years B.C.) made by Egyptians, Turkish, and Armenians…..

Bread holds historical, religious, and ceremonial customs and in almost all cultures that go beyond yeast, however, the belief of coming to the table to break bread together is the same—-UNITY.

Sangak bread for example is an Iranian flatbread that literally translates to “little stone” and is made on a bed of pebbles or little stones in an oven. The soldiers would carry little pebbles with them and come together to make the bread.

Lavash bread has been recognized as UNESCO as an expression of Armenian culture that has been described as a “fundamental component of identity and a symbol of friendship and reconciliation.”

In Italy they have an old saying “without bread, we are orphans.”

If you look at bread across cultures what do they have in common?

Even though they differ in color, shape, cooking techniques they are made from the same foundation: water, yeast, salt, and flour.

What do all of these humans have in common?

Even though we differ in color of skin, culture, size, and shape we are made from the same foundation: carbon, hydrogen, water…..

In America we are blessed with having the pleasure to try various breads, spices, dishes, ethnic restaurants that their time honored recipes that gives us a chance to experience their country without even visiting, and the blending of flavors/spices known as fusion cuisine!

Imagine if …

• we didn’t have Chinese influence there would be no Panda Express (founded by Andrew and Peggy Cherng–Chinese Immigrants)…
• no Italians–life without pizza or pasta?!?!?!?!
• no Mexicans no burritos (American fusion btw) and definitely no tacos or tequila!
• if we didn’t have the soul food created by African Americans that includes cornbread…..

we’d be left with flavorless white wonder bread and this Becky for one is over it!

If you want to take one step further back into history before America existed, because of colonization and trade spices and other ingredients were spreading from country to country that led to culinary innovation!

Once again imagine if………

• Egypt didn’t bring yeast to India, Naan bread wouldn’t exist.
• India’s spices weren’t discovered no curry that is translated into Chinese, Thai, and Singaporean dishes would exist!
• the Portuguese didn’t settle in S. India Vindaloo wouldn’t exist,
• If Peru and Bolivia didn’t bring potatoes—that’s used in just about every country!

My point is this we are all here on Earth to learn and grow from one another to contribute to the world around us. Life is better when we share and break bread together despite our differences—–in fact culinary history has shown to make it even better!

As a testament below is an Armenian Lavash Pizza I had made using ingredients from 5 different cultures to create something beautiful and tasteful that hits all the taste buds. Click here for recipe!

Divided we fall, together we stand. Let’s break bread together as one nation, under God, and for life and liberty for all (doesn’t exclude ethnicity, certain skin colors, political views, religious beliefs, age, sick or healthy)!

Live beyond the vision of our founding father’s…………