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Doris Dörrie: I met Edward Brown while teaching in Tassajara. I was impressed with his undogmatic way of cooking and, at the same time, to connect it to Zen teachings. When I saw him cooking, I wanted to bring his knowledge to a broader audience. I believe it might be useful for everybody to completely be and live in the moment and at the same time to establish, with cooking, a connection of your body to this moment. This is hands-on instruction to life, which will never leave you regardless of how bad you might feel. Once you have been instructed properly, this knowledge will always stay with you.
What really convinced me is the fact that Edward connects with teenagers who do not have a Zen background. My daughter, who was sixteen when she met him, was fascinated with him. I realized that she was experiencing something, which I only taught her minimally. I started to think about all the things my mother excelled in. Was I able to do them? I still know how to cook a goose, but many of the things she knew to prepare are lost. Which knowledge and recipes did I pass on to my daughter? The cultural loss is fundamental.
Roadside Attractions: Your film depicts Western society’s eating habits and the way we handle food. How do you see our society?
DD: It saddens me that we live in luxury and abundance and the rest of the world has nothing. I feel miserable when throwing away bread. I know that it is complicated to find a solution for a fair and better world, but maybe we can start by having a different attitude in our own kitchen.
RA: What kind of attitude?
DD: To develop respect for food. What does buying cheap meat imply? Not only in regards to general meat production, but also in regards to our self-worth. Do we think of ourselves so low that rotten meat is good enough for us?
