When I was in grade eight or so, I became addicted to a tv show called The Urban Peasant. I would come home after school and eagerly wait for the show to start at 3:30. The Urban Peasant was not one of those stupid sitcoms. No, it was a cooking show. But not an ordinary cooking show! This guy was amazing because he never used measuring cups or spoons, and he made up his own recipes. I was fascinated with this elderly, grampa-like figure. He wasn't pretend sophisticated like most cooking show hosts. I felt like I could trust him. So every day I'd watch him make themed meals. For example, the dishes on one episode all included apples in some way. He even made cookies!
Years later when I was a junior in college, I lived with two good friends--Sara and Beka--in the basement duplex at Dordt. We became vegetarian versions of the Urban Peasant. We even took the time to type "The Urban Peasant" with a typewriter on our generic cheques that the bank gave us when we opened a joint account. That was a charmed time in my life. We made good food. We had coffee time every sunday night--back when coffee time was small and intimate. I remember sitting on the bathroom counter with Beka for hours, since that was obviously the most comfortable place to talk. Oh yes, and Sara had her crimper. Hours of fun there! We had a hamock in our bedroom, and a walk-in closet. It was sweet. Ah. The Urban Peasant. I would have to say that was my best year at Dordt.
8 comments:
It all seems to come back to the urban peasant--I think about it often too. yes, we lived in a bit of a utopia, and it was fabulous. And I think it may have made me an idealist; we did amazoing things. Its changed me a lot, though.
Whatever happened to my crimper?
I've never seen or heard of this Urban Peasant guy, but my father cooks like that (on a minimal level i'm sure). I remember a day when he and I ended up putting Ruby Red Squirt, crazy spices/mustard, oatmeal, and a pinch of love into some burgers...they were fantastic!
Oh, you wanted that back, Sara? :) Actually, I think I saw it on the give-away pile in the South View lobby at the beginning of the summer. There was quite a bit of stuff from the Urban Peasant there . . . .
let's reform coffee time.
i am so sorry about coffee time. its hard and people have many takes on the issue. but that is not what i want to write about. i want to write about the first urban peasant. oh, urban peasant!!
my cousin and i wanted so badly to set him up with my single oma. we even wrote him a letter. but we never called him by his name (what was it?!?!), we just called him "the urban peasant."
i remember him using apples.
Oh Katy, the state of coffee-time is not your fault. It's hard to control the coffee-time population. And I can see that it serves a purpose as it is now--different than it was before, but a purpose none-the-less.
Unfortunately, I tend to be a nostalgic person. Add to that the fact that I don't feel at home at Dordt anymore because I don't know very many people, and you get my cynical attitude. One could argue that it's my job to get to know more people, and that one person would be exactly right. I would add, in my defense, that the old-time style of coffee-time would have allowed that, but I feel very uncomfortable in large groups of people where I know only one or two people. Um. The end. Coffee time has evolved. That's okay. But allow me my nostalgia. :)
Yes, another Urban Peasant lover! I have no idea what his real name is. I think he would make an a wonderful husband for your oma.
James Barber
My sister used to be a huge fan of the urban peasant as well, and would make me watch the show with her. I thought it was okay, but would have rather watched other things at that time. I now think that we should get a hold of this James Barber guy (Katy, do you still have the address?) and convince him that he needs to come back! He can do this before or after he marries your oma...
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