Zack’s Jambalaya
photo by Zack Meyers
“I will do things that other people would consider going out of their way. But to me, if I think that it will make their day, month, week, I’ll easily do it. Zack’s Jambalaya is his go-to recipe to make for potlucks and gatherings with friends. He says that cooking for others is a conduit in his life for connection and strengthening friendships. “Cooking or making food for someone is definitely something that brings me joy. More than cooking for myself.”
There is preliminary research that cooking for others and in community settings can improve self-esteem and socialization. And some therapists are even integrating culinary art therapy programs into their practices. Zack’s Jambalaya is indicative of a wider act of altruism as self-care. Doing things for others can make you feel more secure in groups and in yourself.
Zack’s recipe comes from his Cajun heritage. His grandfather was born in Louisiana and spoke Cajun French. “As a Cajun, he didn't speak English until he was made to learn it in school. He only spoke Cajun French. Similarly, like a lot of ESL speakers, or people who were new to integrating into American culture, a lot of times they don't pass on their native language to their kids.” What was passed on to Zack were the family’s cajun recipes. “That's the part of my family's history that I really latched on to. I would have really regretted it if I didn't take the time or effort to learn.” Zack would go back to his home in Houston, Texas, and make sure to cook and learn from his father. “I was glad to have taken weekend trips back home and say ‘hey, I wanna make this dish with you.’”
Zack grew up in Houston after his parents moved from Louisiana when he was young. Taking trips back every so often to visit family. He now lives in Portland, Oregon, and shares his Cajun recipes with his friends, new and old. “I feel like I don't put the effort in enough to make food for myself. But given the chance to make it for other people. I will go do it. I have a kind of task paralysis, but then the eagerness to do something for someone else just overrides that and I will do it. For new friends, old friends, friends I haven't seen in a while. It's kind of the vehicle for me to help strengthen relationships across the board.”
Jambalaya is an integral facet of Cajun and Creole cooking. It has roots in Spain and France and is similar to a Spanish Paella or a Pilaf. Louisiana being colonized by both these countries left this dish adapted into the version it is today. There are of course regional and cultural differences in Jambalaya. In New Orleans, you’re more likely to find tomatoes in it, however, which is a more Creole style. However, the farther you get from the city, tomatoes are omitted and Jambalaya becomes more Cajun. A brown and caramelized rice dish often with chicken and sausage as its main proteins. Jambalaya is often cooked in large batches and traditionally takes an hour and a half to two hours to prepare. It gained popularity in this region because of how hearty, filling, and flavorful it is.
“I was talking to one of my friends about this. They asked what food I would be talking about, and I was having a hard time deciding on one.” Zack feels that every recipe he learns is another person he feels connected to and takes with him as he goes forward with his life. He collects recipes like some collect gifts or memories from the past. Using them to build and recall memories from those who he loves and who have loved him. “I think a lot of it is having my own recipes and dishes from growing up, as well as learning ones from other people in my life, and taking that bit that they give me as a part of them. Then sharing that with other people, so then it's just a part of me and of other people that have impacted me in some way.”
Despite his love of sharing his cooking, Zack also finds a tinge of anxiety when making something for new groups of people. “I think I might put more pressure on myself. At the moment, I think, while making something I am hyper-aware of it. But I don't really worry until it's complete. I’m always afraid of doing little things differently. When I get to the end result, and I add all those little bits together, I worry it's not going to be a direct replica of the time I made it and thought it was really good. That it might not turn out as well as before.” Zack’s worries stem from a want to satisfy and please those he’s feeding. Jambalaya, taking two hours to make, is not something quick and easy. When he makes this dish for others, it is truly a labour of love. He takes these parts of him that he holds so dear, and shares them with others in order to connect with them and build a relationship with them. So when it perhaps isn’t the best it could be, he worries it’s not enough.
Zack ultimately loves the feeling of a successful pot of Jambalaya being finished off by a huge group of friends. “I think the one time that I made it that I'm really proud of was one of the crawfish boils. We had to make a bunch of it. And it just all turned out really well. Yeah, and people just ate it up. Like I didn't have any leftovers from that it was all gone.” In university, Zack’s rugby team would buy crawfish from Louisiana and do a traditional crawfish boil. However, the crawfish wasn’t enough for everyone to be full and satisfied. So Zack’s Jambalaya filled that gap. The reaction he had had him feeling “absolutely elated. Over the moon. The immediate praise of when they first started eating it was amazing. And then I've had times where it's brought up again, later down the road. That's a good feeling. I've had friends reach out who had it back in Texas years ago. They’ll say ‘I'm still thinking about that stuff the time we had it. You gotta send me the recipe. I need it in my life.’ So that’s a really nice thing to feel.”
“It's something that's super important to me. Something I'm more than happy to share, I think because it means so much to me. It's another way to share a part of me with people outside of just my time.”