Thanks to Steph Kilen for writing this wonderful recap!

It was a comfort food kind of a day on Saturday Sept. 11; chilly and rainy. By the time the storytellers at the Fondy Farmers’ Market Guerrilla Story Slam finished however, we all felt we’d had a big, warm bowl of mac-n-cheese.

As folks walked by with arms full of greens and stalks of sugar cane, a small group gathered for stories on the theme of “comfort food”. Whether it was the odd but memorable Christmastime-only dessert of “Santa Stomachs,” a flourless chocolate cake gone horribly wrong, a tomato with a smear of mayo found at Fondy Market and in Ecuador, meals that always start with garlic and onion, or out-of-season corn chowder, all the storytellers seemed to agree that it was the people who prepared and shared the meals that made them “comfort food.” Of course the setting couldn’t help but inspire the stories, and we also heard how “food that came from the ground” and our connection to the people who grow it are powerful forces in people’s lives.

In true spirit of the Guerrilla Story Slam, storytellers included Ex Fabula veterans, a thespian, some first timers and people dragged in from the crowd: Dan Niederloh, Sharon Gibson, Marjorie Gibson, Caen Thomason-Redus, Ann Asher, Amy Schleicher, Steph Kilen and Marion Ecks. Thank you all for sharing!
It wouldn’t be comfort food without a side of good advice, so here’s a few from our storytellers to keep in mind next time you’re thinking about what to eat:

“It’s not about the ingredients, but the care and love (that go into making a meal).” – Dan Niederloh
“If my cooking doesn’t go well, I remember we never judged my mom (for her lack of skill in the kitchen).” – Caen Thomason-Redus
“Food should be about a sense of community.” – Marion Ecks
“If you give people enough to drink, they won’t realize you’ve ruined the cake.” – Steph Kilen

Bon appetit!