Behind the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo left to right: Machen Corps Commander Michael Weiss, ADC Nathan Railla, Cecilia Driscoll, Susan Morin, Kevin Hoagland, Jeffrey Stevens, Anthony Miller, Dorothée Rosen, Stephan Bierling, Meta Maertens, Janos Porps, Joe Schoech, (not pictured: Marvin Robinson); photo courtesy of Ian Bascetta
article by Anthony Miller
The birds are chirping, dew is glistening, and the sun is rising in the East. The Machen, or Kalapa Court cook is putting on her Chef’s coat. The Kusung silently delivers a cup of Tibetan style tea to the Sakyong. The Sakyong Wangmo is practicing and Jetsun Drukmo and Jetsun Yudra are playing. The Shabchi are putting together a place setting for the Royal Family’s breakfast.
In a few minutes the Machen whirls into action. Eggs are cooking, organic greens are sautéing and bread is miraculously being turned into toast. Breakfast is lovingly plated and whisked away. The center of the mandala is being fueled!
The Kalapa Court is the center of our mandala. It is the power source, the lightning rod for our community. The center from which radiates the Great Eastern Sun. In the heart of this center is the hearth, or Kalapa Court Kitchen. This hearth is the domain of the Machen. From his or her hands the Royal Family is fed and nourished.
In the Kalapa Court the job of the Machen is not just to cook good, nourishing, healthy food, but also to hold the space of the kitchen. The Machen protects the sanity of the space.
Keeping the kitchen clean is a key aspect. How does it feel when your kitchen is a mess, when there is dried egg on the stove, or dirty dishes piling up in the sink? It makes us slightly irritated, or we feel sloppy or lazy. The cleaning weighs on our mind.
How does it feel when we wash our dishes mindfully, clean the stove carefully? How does it feel to have an uncluttered space with a cutting board and a knife clean and ready for action? We might feel inspired to cook, we may feel a sense of wholesomeness and organization. A clean space helps us to see clearly and lets our mind relax a little. When we clean up after ourselves we feel uplifted in a very basic and essential way. By caring for it, we are expressing the view that our space is sacred.
The food itself is treated with the same view of sacredness. The Machen takes care in washing the vegetables, in slicing a mushroom, or selecting a piece of steak from the butcher. The expression of sacredness here is that these things are worthy of our full awareness. The Machen can afford to pay complete attention to all aspects of the process. This practice uplifts and energizes our mind. It feels good!
The Machen also holds the understanding that how he or she communicates to others while in the kitchen is also essential to creating an uplifted and sacred space. Even if the Machen is engaged in a lot of activity, or is working quickly, there is the view that one communicates with patience, directness, and kindness.
Cooking and eating are two of the most fundamental human activities. They are aspects that help us create community. Eating together gives rise to conversation, to the opportunity for genuine communication. We can share ideas, questions, our intelligence and our confusion. When we sit down with our friends or family to share a meal we are sharing an aspect of our humanness. We need to eat! We are engaging our sense perceptions and can feel enriched by our appreciation for what we have in front of us. Good food, food made with love can even wake us up.
Being a Machen is one of the most critical and the most rewarding paths of service in the Mandala. If you are interested in learning more about this particular path please contact Anthony at Dasang@alum.bu.edu.
Now, for a RECIPE!
Essential Chicken Stock:
One of the foundations of good cooking is a good stock. A good stock makes soups and sauces a success.
Ingredients:
All ingredients are organic unless unavailable as such
photo credit: ilovebutter via photopin cc
2 Large Spanish Onions – quartered
1 Large Leek – washed and cleaned very carefully
3 Carrots – peeled and quartered
5 stalks celery – washed and quartered
One Whole Chicken – removing the breasts, thighs, and legs for another use
3 Dried Bay Leaves
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 Sprigs Fresh Parsley
10 Black Peppercorns
3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Procedure:
In a large stock pot sauté the onions, carrots, leek, and celery in the olive oil. Cook over high heat until the onions are translucent. This sautéing helps bring out some of the flavor of the vegetables.
Add the chicken (minus the breasts, thighs, and legs) to the pot. Cover with cold water. Add the bay, thyme, peppercorns, and parsley. Turn the heat down to medium. After about 30 minutes keep an eye on the stock as it heats up and skim off any impurities that create foam on the surface of the liquid. Do this every 20 minutes or so for the first hour or two. After this turn the heat down to low and let barely simmer for about 8 hours. It is best to start this first thing in the morning. After 8 hours, strain everything out of the liquid and discard or compost. Let the stock cool a bit and then refrigerate or freeze.
Voila!