The August sun was blazing hot, the ground covered with wet, sticky mud from the rain the night before, the kind of mud that sucks the boots right off your feet. And to think just 30 days ago, I was 13,000 KM away in my home town of Chennai, India. As I stood up and wiped the sweat from my brow, I pondered the chronic pain in my back from hunching over to pick string beans on a small farm in Ancaster, Ontario. It was hard work, but it was nice to be gulping in fresh air for a change as I had spent my first month in Toronto, walking on asphalt and inhaling car exhaust. I couldn’t help but feel fortunate that my new Humber College Classmate had taken the initiative and invited me and another international student from China out to this quaint farm to help pick vegetables and sell them at a local farmers market.

While much of the produce grown on the farm was new to me like raspberries, blueberries and blackberries some of the vegetables could have been served on my dinner table at home. The similarities and differences in produce prompted some interesting discussions between me and my new friends and in the days to follow, we often found ourselves collaborating on various cooking escapades. Who knew what tasty fun could be had with a pinch of India, a dash of China and a sprinkle of Canada.

            Shortly after the start of school Rick, my new Canadian friend informed me that “Mushrooms Canada” was looking for a great new mushroom recipe in the form of a contest. Before you could say cremini I found myself in a local grocery store loading up on fresh Ontario Mushrooms. We spent the next several weeks cooking with mushrooms, researching mushroom recipes, exploring food parings that worked well with our tasty little fungus friends. We made mushroom stalk, mushroom stew, mushroom pasta, mushroom Panini, mushroom soup, mushroom stir-fry and at least 2 dozen other concoctions before we arrived at what we felt was a true culinary fusion between our diverse cultures. With fresh Canadian produce, authentic Indian spice combinations and some cooking techniques and presentation flair straight from China we arrived at “Chinadia mushroom Fusion”. The name Chinadia contains the letters from all 3 countries and reflects the combined contribution to the dish. We decided to go with a vegetarian slant to keep mushrooms as the predominant ingredient. 

            Regardless of the outcome of this competition I am sure that my new friends and I will continue to cook together and our fusion, both in the kitchen and in life will carry on for years to come. 

youtube video here

To support our family of 5 my step father would wake every day at 5am to go to work as a janitor at the local post office, he would finish his janitorial duties at 3pm and depart to his second job as a grounds person at Quaker Oats where he would cut grass and trim bushes until dusk, from there he would drive to his 3^rd job as a night cleaner for a small office building where he would take out the trash, vacuum, and dust. By 10:30pm he would arrive at home, take a meal, wash and go to bed. I watched him perform this work routine day after day, month after month, year after year.  I was often called upon by him to help out with the duties of supporting the family and this work time would account for the bulk of time we spent together. Because of these experiences he was able to instill upon me a very strong work ethic and the ability to take pride in a job well done regardless of how menial it may appear.  With that being said he also instilled within me the ability to understand the great value education provides us and would often tell me that “It’s easier to work with your brain than your back.”

            He was always inquiring as to what I was studying in school and took great interest in my academic performance, which he viewed as a privilege, not to be taken lightly and to be treated with the utmost respect.  I imagine that he was also very envious of my opportunity to be a student because he never had the chance to advance his education beyond a grade 8 level due to family obligations on the farm.

            Although he passed away years ago I know he would be very proud to know that I am the first of his children to be pursuing a post secondary degree. I think it would have brought a smile to his face to know I was studying Culinary Arts Management because he was a great lover of food and use to always tell stories about his time in the army as a cook, and how much he enjoyed it. When I think of this I think of how special this opportunity is and it makes me very aware of the tremendous achievement I am in the process of making for both myself, my stepfather and my family.

            My journey into post secondary education has also been a challenging one. As a mature student in the midst of a career change while still shouldering the responsibilities of being a father of 4, there have often been times when I wonder if I will ever make it to graduation in May 2011. Making ends meet every month often feels like a circus act and I am the star juggler making my monthly appearance, never knowing what surprises life has in store for me, Such as the ever increasing cost of transportation due to the rising price of gas, or the daily race to make pick up time at my 2 year olds daycare so I don’t incur additional child care charges and exhaust financial resources I don’t have. Yet I know in my heart that this path is the right one for me and despite life’s hardships (like the 3 hours a day I spend commuting) I will find a way to persevere and complete this task set out before me, not only for my stepfather and for myself but to set an example for my children.