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July 2025
A KITCHEN SABBATH How Mindful Cooking Can Transform a Meal
So much of life goes by quickly these days. So many services and products cater to all the ways we rush, rush, rush through life, from semi-prepared take-home meals to restaurants that call themselves “fast casual.” In recognition of July as National Culinary Arts Month, I’m thinking about how learning to cook can help us slow down and savor life a little more. I value cooking as an art — for both the time it takes and the connection it provides to our food. Don’t get me wrong: I am not above convenience foods! I love potato chips and can happily, mindlessly shovel them back, then wake up from my stupor 20 minutes later and wonder, “How did I go through that whole bag of chips?” But I also know how icky it can feel to mindlessly eat things that are semi- prepared, without any sense of connection to those foods. One thing that helps me restore that connection is my subscription to The New York Times food app. When my recipe summaries arrive by email, I tell the family, “I’m going to scroll through my food porn now,” and dive in to savor the rich, flavorful possibilities. Perhaps a promising recipe catches my eye, or maybe I’m wondering, “How did I end up with 2 pounds of Brussels sprouts? What can I do with them?” When I find something I have a hankering for, I give myself the luxury of time to try it out. WORKSHOP Have you (or your clients) “been meaning” to get a plan in place? It’s easy to get started with our 7 Hazards to Your Estate Plan Workshop . This free workshop explains the key planning concepts, documents, and the factors in selecting a plan that is right for you. Plus, workshop participants receive a complimentary consultation with no obligation to retain our services. The workshop is available on demand or in person, so stop thinking about a plan and create one. Register online at PromiseLaw.com/Estate-Planning-Workshop or call (757) 351-4017.
I have written in the past about how I honor the sabbath in a quiet way — as an interlude of rest and renewal that I celebrate at the time and place of my choice. Sometimes, that time and place is Sunday afternoon in my kitchen. There, immersed in the
aromas, colors, and textures of healthful foods, I find renewal in being connected with the process of cooking. I give myself time to create a recipe that intrigues me. If it’s long and complicated, I don’t care. I give myself time to do it. I love cabbage, and one of my favorite recipes is Cabbage Parmesan. It calls for roasting wedges of cabbage until they caramelize and soften, then baking them with a red sauce and mozzarella and topping the dish with basil and garlic croutons made from Italian ciabatta bread. We love that combination of the crunch, the acid, and the sweetness of the cabbage. We select placemats with an eye to the color, to highlight the meal, and bring out some china. Why wait for a holiday? While a bag of chips is yummy, there is something very different, and very satisfying, about sitting down to a meal after deliberating on the recipe, creating it, and considering what drink to add. You might imbibe and enjoy that, and the entire experience feels luxurious. That is one of my favorite things.
As we celebrate the culinary arts this month, I hope you can give yourself time to revel in a kitchen sabbath of your own! –Geneva N. Perry, Esq.
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SWIPE RIGHT AT ANY AGE
ONLINE DATING TIPS FOR OLDER ADULTS
Online dating can be intimidating at any age, but it can feel like learning a new language and culture for older adults who didn’t grow up using technology. While dating might seem like a younger person’s game, plenty of people your age (and older) are messaging, swiping, and making new personal connections online daily. A common misconception is that online dating is only for the tech-savvy, but most apps are user-friendly and designed to help you learn as you go. Various apps are available — like Bumble, Hinge, or Match — so you can find one that matches your specific goals. Whether you’re looking to meet new friends or want long-term companionship, there’s a platform for you.
Create a profile once you find a dating site that feels like a good fit. Your profile doesn’t need flashy language or complicated details, but it should highlight your values. You’ll also need to include photos. Focus on current pictures that reveal a bit about your personality and interests. After setting up your profile, you’re ready to look for potential dates. This is where things get exciting, but don’t forget to prioritize safety. Early conversations are best kept within the app itself, and always meet people you connect with in public places. Also, don’t let rejections discourage you. Online dating can take some patience, but it can also be fun. Stay open, stay safe, and you just might find someone special.
Nature’s Hidden Network How Plants Talk to Each Other Underground
You probably don’t think of plants as chatty, but they have a lot going on underground. Scientists have discovered that thin fungus threads in the soil connect many plants — nature’s version of the internet. These threads help plants share nutrients and even send messages to one another. The fungi grow around and between plant roots, building a bridge from one plant to the next. If one plant gets sick or bug-bitten, it can send a warning. Neighboring plants “hear” that signal and might boost their defenses. It’s somewhat like a heads- up before a storm.
nutrients around, especially from bigger, well-fed plants to smaller, struggling ones. In return, the fungi get sugars and energy from the plants. It’s a win-win. This hidden teamwork has real-world effects. Farmers and gardeners who know about these underground networks can change how they treat their soil. If the fungi are wiped out — say, by chemicals or heavy digging — plants lose their lifeline. But if the networks stay intact, crops tend to grow better and fight off threats more easily. This is still a growing field of research, but it’s changing how we see plant life. If you want to dig a
little deeper, check out a recent book, “The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth” by Zoë Schlanger. What looks like a quiet patch of greenery might be a neighborhood full of chatter. You just have to know where to look.
It’s not just gossip, either. These fungal helpers also help shuffle
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TAKE A BREAK
American Bicycle Cherry Fireworks Flag Independence Paddleboard Picnic
Kindness That Lasts
Ruby Stars Sherbet Trampoline CABBAGE PARMESAN
BEING THERE FOR SOMEONE WHO’S STRUGGLING
We’ve all experienced bouts of bad mood and even occasional depression. While difficult to go through, it can be equally challenging to see someone we care about hurting and not know how to help. The main thing to remember is that providing support isn’t about fixing things; it’s about showing up in meaningful ways. Skip the pep talks and listen. For many of us, our initial instinct is to rush to lift our loved one’s spirits and help them break out of a bad mood. However, offering them space and a calm ear is often the best thing we can do. Friendly company can be comforting even if they’re not ready to talk. Just be sure they don’t feel pressure to do or say anything. This might mean bingeing a favorite TV show together or just being with one another in the same room. Focus on small gestures. Along with providing company, you can support your loved one with simple gestures — a phone call, handwritten note, or warm meal. These acts remind them that someone cares and that they are not alone. Continuing to show up for your friend even after the rest of the world has moved on can have an even greater impact. There’s no specific script to follow, but small efforts all add up and may matter more than you’ll ever know. If you have a friend or family member going through a hard time, validating their experience and being present for them can be all they need. While they may not remember what you said, they won’t forget you showed up and stayed when they needed you most.
Ingredients
• 7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving • 1 medium green cabbage (about 2½ pounds), cut into 2-inch wedges • Salt and pepper • 1/2 pound bread, such as sourdough or ciabatta,
torn into 1-inch chunks • 1 garlic clove, grated • 3 cups/24 oz store- bought or homemade tomato sauce • 2 cups/8 oz grated low- moisture mozzarella • Basil leaves, for topping
Directions 1. Heat oven to 450 F and arrange racks in the middle and bottom of the oven. 2. Drizzle a sheet pan with 2 tbsp olive oil, then arrange the cabbage wedges on the pan, setting each one flat. Drizzle the top and sides of the cabbage with 3 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on middle rack of oven and roast until tender and golden, 25–35 minutes. 3. Place the bread on another sheet pan. Add garlic, drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. 4. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss croutons, and return to the oven until golden and crispy, 8–10 minutes. 5. Remove cabbage from the oven and spoon tomato sauce on top. Top with mozzarella and return to the oven until the cheese is melted and golden, 10–15 minutes. 6. To serve, scatter croutons and basil leaves on top and drizzle with more olive oil as desired.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Kitchen as Sanctuary: Celebrating National Culinary Arts Month
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An Older Adult’s Guide to Online Dating
The Surprising Ways Plants Support Each Other
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Cabbage Parmesan
The Art of Quiet Kindness
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One Man’s Very Strange Appetite
MICHEL LOTITO: THE MAN WHO ATE AN AIRPLANE
Would you snack on a bicycle? How about a TV set or a shopping cart? Sounds completely absurd, but Michel Lotito — a French performer known to fans as “Monsieur Mangetout” (Mr. Eat All) — did exactly that. Although he certainly got attention, Lotito wasn’t just looking for it; his peculiar diet came from a rare condition called pica. People with pica crave non-edible objects, though very few act on these cravings. But Michel
an entire Cessna plane, taking two years to finish every last nut and bolt. How did he do it without getting hurt? Carefully and one bite at a time. Michel chopped objects into tiny bits and sipped mineral oil to help everything slide down smoothly. Lotito’s feats earned him a place in the “Guinness Book of World Records,” but his true legacy is simpler: He got people thinking. Scientists, doctors, and everyday observers began to wonder how adaptable — and, frankly, strange — the human body can be.
didn’t hold back. Doctors found he had an unusually strong digestive system and a thick stomach lining. These traits allowed him to safely digest things most people wouldn’t put near their mouths, let alone swallow.
Michel Lotito passed away in 2007 at 57, but his legend lives on. A guy who casually munched on bicycles might seem easy to dismiss, but his “normal” shows us that reality is sometimes far
The list of items Lotito managed to consume is hard to believe. He once famously ate
stranger than fiction.
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