Living by Hand and by Heart

In an age when fancy gadgets and smart devices are easily accessible, working with the hands brings a renewed sense of purpose.

When everything is done by hand, from garden to plate, there is intention and grace behind each dish. Klaus Nielsen/Pexels

I was thinking about the Popeil Kitchen Magician.

If you’re dicing potatoes, carrots, and parsnips for a pot roast, it’s unwise to let your mind wander while wielding sharp instruments, and I lost track of the moment. Were this the 1970s, and I a Middle American home cook, I‘d have just popped these roots and tubers into the Kitchen Magician like tennis balls in a practice gun. In goes the parsnip, out come stew cubes. Simple! Quick! Easy! All for $49.99. But wait, there’s more: Tonight only, we’ll toss in the Popeil Pocket Fisherman for just $9.99.