This neighborhood hosted a "deeply human" dinner series.
So can the rest of us.
Food as a verb thanks
for sponsoring this series
This neighborhood, every neighborhood.
"We are not on our own. We are better together."
Not long after the pandemic, Mary Elizabeth Kaufman had an idea. Something that would try to mend or heal what had been lost.
"Building community in our neighborhood," said Julian, her husband.
The Kaufmans – Julian owns Forte Fitness and works with Mary Elizabeth, who owns Via Curato, a travel agency – live on North Market Street. On their neighborhood Facebook page, she sent an invitation: we're going to start hosting Italian dinners once a month. We have nine seats. Who wants to come?
"Nine," explained Julian, "so that a single person feels they can come as well."
Each month, Julian would cook dinner spotlighting a region of Italy, often using ingredients from Wednesday's Main Street Farmers' Market.
"There is a kind of magic in the rhythm of an Italian meal," he said, as "the courses lend themselves to this lingering and being together."
"Of course, wine throughout," Julian said.
A first-generation Italian-American, Julian – one mutual friend swears he's one of the best home chefs in the city – understands intimately the power of food, drink and table.
"It is what I experienced in my childhood in Italy," he said.
The Kaufmans covered the cost for the first dinner – nine people, a full house – and, by the end of the night, plans were being made for the next dinner.
Everyone said: we'll chip in $100 for this.
"We agreed to $35 and a bottle of wine from the region," Julian said.
Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, Abruzzo. The Kaufmans cooked their way through the countryside. Twenty meals in all.
Then, in the midst of what feels more and more like a national divorce, something else happened.
"One of our best neighborhood and neighbor experiences," said Rodger Piersant. He and his wife were regular guests for the Kaufman-Italian evenings.
"Nothing is more catalytic to great relationships than loving, peaceful, humorous conversation over a wonderful meal," he said.
Piersant called the evenings a recipe for a "greater, loving social community."
"We’ve gotten to know different neighbors as the invitees have been mixed, which is so fun and further cements our care of neighbors and the neighborhood," he said.
Piersant said they learned two significant lessons:
"We want to be better neighbors," he said, "thanks to Julian and Mary Elizabeth's wonderful example."
And?
"We are not on our own. We are better together, no matter our stripes," he said.
Food as a Verb was created on this very principle: that the table – food, drink, community – remains the central piece onto which our society can stand and flourish.
"Lingering over these meals has fostered listening, empathy and love," said Julian. "Strangers become intimate friends. Different religions, belief systems and politics but mutual respect and care around what matters most."
"It has been deeply human. It has changed the way we all interact."
- Two reminders:
Vote for Main Street Farmers' Market in the American Farmland Trust's Farmers Market Celebration.
And sign up for our first Food as a Verb farm volunteer day. From 9 am to noonish on July 13, we'll be with Alysia Leon at Bird Fork Farm. Email david@foodasaverb.com or sarah@foodasaverb.com to reserve your spot!
And finally, our weekly "Food in our Phone" installment, coming, thankfully, from Sarah.
Food in our Phone
weekly nibbles and encounters
- Weekly Main St. Farmer's Market haul. It's a joy to be able to support this market and the beautiful people that show up every week.
- Bread & Butter toast, Sequatchie Cove Farm egg, Hernandez Farms blueberries, tomatoes from my back yard.
- Elsie's Daughter updated their seasonal cocktail menu, you'll want nothing more on a Tennessee summer day!
- SMASHBOYZ! I have no words; they have perfected the smash burger. Enjoyed while celebrating Hutton & Smith Brewing's 9th anniversary.
See ya'll on Sunday. Boy, do we have a story for you ...
All photography by Sarah Unger (sarah@foodasaverb.com)
All design by Alex DeHart
All words by David Cook (david@foodasaverb.com)
Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in sponsorship or advertising opportunities? Email us: david@foodasaverb.com and sarah@foodasaverb.com
This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this con
Regional Farmers' Markets
- Main St. Farmers' Market
Corner of W. 20th and Chestnut St., near Finley Stadium
Wednesday, 4 - 6pm
- Brainerd Farmers' Market
Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave, Chattanooga, TN
Saturday, 10am - noon
- Chattanooga Market
1820 Carter Street, Sunday, 11am - 4pm
- Fresh Mess Market
Harton Park, Monteagle, TN. (Rain location: Monteagle Fire Hall.)
Every Thursday, 3pm - 6pm, beg. June 6 - Oct. 3
- Ooltewah Farmers' Market
The Ooltewah Nursery, Thursday, 3 - 6pm
Downtown Ringgold, Georgia
Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, mid-May to mid-October.
Pre-order online for Thursday pick-up between 4 - 6pm at Bachman Community Center
- South Cumberland Farmers’ Market
Sewanee Community Center (behind the Sewanee Market on Ball Park Rd.) Tuesdays from 4:15 to 6:00 p.m. (central.) Order online by Monday 10 am (central.)
- St. Albans Farmers' Market
7514 Hixson Pike, Saturday, 9.30am - 12.30pm with a free pancake breakfast every third Saturday
- Walker County Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 2 - 5 pm, Rock Spring Ag. Center
Saturday, 9 am - 1 pm, downtown Lafayette, Georgia
To include your farmers market, email david@foodasaverb.com
food as a verb thanks our sustaining partner:
food as a verb thanks our story sponsor:
Divine Goods
Beautifully Curated Gifts for All
This neighborhood, every neighborhood.
"We are not on our own. We are better together."
Not long after the pandemic, Mary Elizabeth Kaufman had an idea. Something that would try to mend or heal what had been lost.
"Building community in our neighborhood," said Julian, her husband.
The Kaufmans – Julian owns Forte Fitness and works with Mary Elizabeth, who owns Via Curato, a travel agency – live on North Market Street. On their neighborhood Facebook page, she sent an invitation: we're going to start hosting Italian dinners once a month. We have nine seats. Who wants to come?
"Nine," explained Julian, "so that a single person feels they can come as well."
Each month, Julian would cook dinner spotlighting a region of Italy, often using ingredients from Wednesday's Main Street Farmers' Market.
"There is a kind of magic in the rhythm of an Italian meal," he said, as "the courses lend themselves to this lingering and being together."
"Of course, wine throughout," Julian said.
A first-generation Italian-American, Julian – one mutual friend swears he's one of the best home chefs in the city – understands intimately the power of food, drink and table.
"It is what I experienced in my childhood in Italy," he said.
The Kaufmans covered the cost for the first dinner – nine people, a full house – and, by the end of the night, plans were being made for the next dinner.
Everyone said: we'll chip in $100 for this.
"We agreed to $35 and a bottle of wine from the region," Julian said.
Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, Abruzzo. The Kaufmans cooked their way through the countryside. Twenty meals in all.
Then, in the midst of what feels more and more like a national divorce, something else happened.
"One of our best neighborhood and neighbor experiences," said Rodger Piersant. He and his wife were regular guests for the Kaufman-Italian evenings.
"Nothing is more catalytic to great relationships than loving, peaceful, humorous conversation over a wonderful meal," he said.
Piersant called the evenings a recipe for a "greater, loving social community."
"We’ve gotten to know different neighbors as the invitees have been mixed, which is so fun and further cements our care of neighbors and the neighborhood," he said.
Piersant said they learned two significant lessons:
"We want to be better neighbors," he said, "thanks to Julian and Mary Elizabeth's wonderful example."
And?
"We are not on our own. We are better together, no matter our stripes," he said.
Food as a Verb was created on this very principle: that the table – food, drink, community – remains the central piece onto which our society can stand and flourish.
"Lingering over these meals has fostered listening, empathy and love," said Julian. "Strangers become intimate friends. Different religions, belief systems and politics but mutual respect and care around what matters most."
"It has been deeply human. It has changed the way we all interact."
- Two reminders:
Vote for Main Street Farmers' Market in the American Farmland Trust's Farmers Market Celebration.
And sign up for our first Food as a Verb farm volunteer day. From 9 am to noonish on July 13, we'll be with Alysia Leon at Bird Fork Farm. Email david@foodasaverb.com or sarah@foodasaverb.com to reserve your spot!
And finally, our weekly "Food in our Phone" installment, coming, thankfully, from Sarah.
Food in our Phone
weekly nibbles and encounters
- Weekly Main St. Farmer's Market haul. It's a joy to be able to support this market and the beautiful people that show up every week.
- Bread & Butter toast, Sequatchie Cove Farm egg, Hernandez Farms blueberries, tomatoes from my back yard.
- Elsie's Daughter updated their seasonal cocktail menu, you'll want nothing more on a Tennessee summer day!
- SMASHBOYZ! I have no words; they have perfected the smash burger. Enjoyed while celebrating Hutton & Smith Brewing's 9th anniversary.
See ya'll on Sunday. Boy, do we have a story for you ...
All photography by Sarah Unger (sarah@foodasaverb.com)
All design by Alex DeHart
All words by David Cook (david@foodasaverb.com)
Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in sponsorship or advertising opportunities? Email us: david@foodasaverb.com and sarah@foodasaverb.com
This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this con
Regional Farmers' Markets
- Main St. Farmers' Market
Corner of W. 20th and Chestnut St., near Finley Stadium
Wednesday, 4 - 6pm
- Brainerd Farmers' Market
Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave, Chattanooga, TN
Saturday, 10am - noon
- Chattanooga Market
1820 Carter Street, Sunday, 11am - 4pm
- Fresh Mess Market
Harton Park, Monteagle, TN. (Rain location: Monteagle Fire Hall.)
Every Thursday, 3pm - 6pm, beg. June 6 - Oct. 3
- Ooltewah Farmers' Market
The Ooltewah Nursery, Thursday, 3 - 6pm
Downtown Ringgold, Georgia
Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, mid-May to mid-October.
Pre-order online for Thursday pick-up between 4 - 6pm at Bachman Community Center
- South Cumberland Farmers’ Market
Sewanee Community Center (behind the Sewanee Market on Ball Park Rd.) Tuesdays from 4:15 to 6:00 p.m. (central.) Order online by Monday 10 am (central.)
- St. Albans Farmers' Market
7514 Hixson Pike, Saturday, 9.30am - 12.30pm with a free pancake breakfast every third Saturday
- Walker County Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 2 - 5 pm, Rock Spring Ag. Center
Saturday, 9 am - 1 pm, downtown Lafayette, Georgia
To include your farmers market, email david@foodasaverb.com
Food as a verb thanks our story sponsor:
Food as a Verb Thanks our sustaining partner:
Beautifully Curated Gifts for All
