By Juli McShay
Two of the most frequent questions I have been asked are, why I chose a recipe book as my first to author, and why did I choose the title I chose.
Honestly, the recipes chose me. It was during the pandemic that I began formally creating this book, but truthfully it was always in me. Always. The title, “Not by Bread Alone: Taking the Fs of Life and Making Them Work for You,” (NBBA) represents just how much food sustains us culturally, socially, economically, and most importantly, spiritually.
Two of the most frequent questions I have been asked are, why I chose a recipe book as my first to author, and why did I choose the title I chose.
There is something spiritual about creating. As for me, most of my creations have been for and about people. Similarly, the distractions and doubts regarding my creations have been because of people. One of the greatest lessons of creating is to find the discipline to not look for others to understand and appreciate your vision while you are working it out. I recall sharing a rough draft with someone whom I had a great affinity for. The way they cut me down caused me to doubt myself, handicapping my willingness to produce. For months, I suffered in silence battling with the words of which I had allowed to discredit my vision, insulting my creativity.
As God would have it, months later, I met someone who shared the same first name as the doubter. Of course, the same name was not enough, they both had attended the same university. God is hilarious how he will remind you of who he is through people. One “A” spoke death to my vision, while the other spoke constant encouragement. The lesson of course was, trust God to always provide, not just the vision, but the affirmation and the completion. I found myself believing a mere mortal despite what God had shown me, and I saw God again through another mere mortal who reminded me of who was as God’s girl.
You see, I was fragile. Afraid to share my gift because someone did not appreciate it. Someone who I trusted had let me down. My heart began to harden, and I began withdrawing out of fear of more hurt. I functioned well outwardly, but inside I was a mess. Depression hit me and it was all but a TKO. I am quite sure pride and ego gave me a life vest, a willingness to not go out without some fight. I kept cooking and talking about food, sharing snippets of my food in my Instagram stories, and cooking for friends. I was surviving in the ocean of doubt, staying afloat by the very thing that I thought was not good enough, Not by Bread Alone.
God never fails. His timing was and is perfect. Those months I was mentally paralyzed, God never left me. I constantly cried out for help, seeking his face and his voice because I wanted to finish what I began, but I also kept cooking. That is right, I kept cooking even though I would freeze when I would go to write. In hindsight, he was perfecting not just me, my faith, and my patience, but also the words that I would publish as NBBA. In fact, it was during this time that the title came about. I realized that we needed so much more than bread to survive whether it is the bread we eat or the bread we spend.
In NBBA, Chapter 2, “Family Ties” is my favorite. The three recipes in this chapter are born out of the comfort and love of home. The love you get from family. Meals that feel like home; reaching out and hugging you with every bite.
Soups, like family come with spices and veggies, which are the personalities that give a rich lasting flavor and create an imprint of understanding who they are at heart and why they are important. They also include a rich broth, representing the rich history and resilience of the generations from which we come.
Often, like our families, broths come layered with expressions and healing which is made of love and goodness. Lastly, there are the proteins which add sustenance, tying us together like the DNA in our flesh.
This chapter could have easily been named “Day 2’s”, as we all know that soups are better after the first day. Similarly, with family, when we take our time there is healing of wounds whether emotional or spiritual.
Scillian Chicken Noodle Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup and Just Pho by Juli are each some of my favorite Day 2’s… They are delicious, flavorful, filling and most importantly they each are packed with ingredients that bring comfort and old-fashioned healing.
As summer ends, and we prepare for flu and cold season, consider one of my DAY 2’s to bring you and your family comfort and healing. Afterall, we survive not by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. These recipes are God’s word created through me for each of us.
ABOUT
Professor, Community Leader, Civil & Human Rights Advocate, Speaker, Podcaster, & Foodie… These are just a few of the ways people see me. I see myself as an Omnipreneur; focused on building a meaningful life for myself across sectors and through the gifts and abilities I innately carry.
In 2020, like many of you, I faced the challenge of getting to know myself in a new world and began tapping into places that I hadn’t had the courage to step into publicly. I love to cook and I love food because it brings people together, creating magic and memories.
For as long as I can remember I always knew I’d write a book, I just never imagined that my first book would be about food. But here I am, a published author of a recipe book, “Not By Bread Alone.”
In the silence and stillness of the pandemic, I discovered a world of treasures I’d long buried because of the busyness of life. This is the first of three books which I will publish with To The Moon Publishing Company.
Social Media
Web–julimcshay.com
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@byjulimcshay / @thesouthernsocialite
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