Noted: Cooking Behind Bars

Interesting read. Not so sure about the tuna nachos thing!

Tuna Nachos?

Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

Interestin Article.

Thanks so much for posting about all these interesting issues! It makes a huge difference to know about all sorts of realities and to take a look at the bigger picture. This is the most unexpected thing to read about on etsy but such an interesting one! Really! Thanks

As a teacher in a prison, I can attest to how important cooking food for one another while incarcerated can be. Taking obsure ingredients and turning them into a "home" cooked meal, can give someone behind bars a sense of normalcy and security. The action of cooking and sharing a meal together basically turns the group with so many differences into a family.

Being away from home & cooking meals to help you connect to the warm memories from before helps those who are in Prison. The only constant is "change" and if we would consider that everyone in the world, no matter what the situation or circumstance, needs comfort, then we TOO will come to appreciate what we have & not wish for more than we need!

So, exactly who does gain by the revenue created fom book sales?

It is so strange topic for handmade market, but I find it attractive because it gives opportunity to have some totally fresh ideas!! :)

a fascinating read as always, Chappell! And thank you so much for selecting my photo for this story!

Oh wow...good read! Thanks for sharing =)

interesting

Before we utter too many sypathathies, it would do us good to remember WHY they are serving a life sentance! Celeste chose to BE in prison for MURDERING her husband. How is that for "fresh" ideas!

As my cooking has often been referred to as criminal, perhaps tuna nachos would be an improvement.

Well it just goes to show that you get a bunch of women together and of course they are going to cook great things. I never thought about this before and irregardless on why anyone is in prison it's nice to know that they can still have a bit of their former lives with them while being incarcerated. Hmmm Tuna nachos - might go well with fish tacos.

I have watched shows about Prisoners in different facilitys, and one of the things that brings inmates together always seemed to be a form of cooking. And most if not all would gather together to share foods purchased from the canteen. Many it said was a way of socializing that kept them sane. Interesting enough article, good job!

Linda... seriously? The women all are serving at least 50 years at the Mountain View Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, all but one of them for murder. Why should they still have a bit of their former lives when the people they murdered have no lives at all.. not to mention the families of the victims who suffer everyday.

maybe good practice for you.

Nice!! Very interesting. ~Krista

papertreats....I am sure since your profile expresses your belief in God, that you not only find forgiveness for all, but that you also do not pass judgement..Just a thought.

I wish more nutrient dense foods were available to prisoners. I think cooking is very therapeutic and the food itself even more so. So is gardening... maybe prisoners could set up gardens and cook with real food... interesting article

Pretty interesting.

I think that the discussion about WHY the women are in prison is interesting, challenging and slightly sad; there are many women in prison for murdering someone who abused them, their siblings or children, or being a forced accomplice, but there are also cold-blooded female murderers and there are also female socio/psycho-paths-so to simply lump them together as something to be punished and scorned, as a few here have done, is too simplistic-and wrong. It's not an easy topic, as it digs deep into our psyche and brings forth very strong "gut-reactions."

to each his or her own.

Why because they are still human beings....

MY X husband worked for WA State prison and the inmates sold cookbooks to make money for a non profit..I have one..even signed by inmates....cool info and proves just because you are locked up does not;t mean you can' t accomplish something.

This is fascinating and the cookbook sounds interesting.

I have watched some programs about the men that also do this in large prisons and some of their food looked fabulous for what little they have to actually work with. We can have acres of space or one tiny room but it doesn't change the internal instincts we have. Great article and I will be sure to check out that cook book.

I should also say that I worked in a large universities kitchen for 4 years and had to look at all types of food, some prettier then other. I would also have to try and substitute ingredients for others semi regularly.

Reminds me of Martha Stewart, though she was not a "lifer" or a violent offender. I remember reading that she and other inmates did the same thing....they were ingenious in their cuisine. Much better than my college days in the 60's when we toasted cheese sandwiches with our electric irons, the only electric appliance we were allowed to have in the dorm. We also heated food on the radiators. Yes, cooking can be considered HANDMADE!

Interesting article. I have to agree with M101, there are many different reasons why women murder and we can't lump them all together. After all, these woman are being punished. As a Christian myself, I always find it eye opening that some of the most unforgiving people are those that proclaim themselves Christian. God forgives all of us for our sins, not just the chosen few. ... How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NLT, Matthew 6:14-15)

After all, necessity IS the mother of invention. The tuna nachos actually didn't sound terrible to me. In fact, I might try them.

Interesting story, interesting comments. Most are positive...but as a reminder: There are over 2 million American adults, and over 80 Thousand American juveniles imprisoned each year........shops should be careful on how they comment on this article. Family and friends of these people shop on Etsy, they read the articles too.....Trust me.

it makes me sad that they have access to potato chips, but not real potatoes...

I was scratching my head on why potato chips were ok but not real potatoes. For crying out loud, let 'em buy real food.

At one time the Texas system actually grew their food for the state prisons. I think should go back to that, give a vocation and healthier food. The sale of commissary goods makes great $$ for the prison system and State as well. You would be amazed at the creative skills some of these ladies possess...but as someone here stated, lets not forget why they locked up. Not to take away from the blog entry here...which is well done btw:)

This is a really interesting article on a topic that most people don't think about that often. Those women are showing a lot of creativity and ingenuity to come up with recipes that they can make with their limited tools and ingredients.Good for them for using their time productively and making the best out of a bad situation. It reminds me of the book "Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison" by Piper Kerman, in it she discusses the different foods they would make, and how they went about making them.

There is still their humanity,and possibly their basic human rights, if we forget that then we are all lost. I say good for them!

Interesting!

Interesting article, and very interesting to see the variety of responses. Seems this has touched some very deep opinions and emotions. I am glad these women are finding something very basic to enjoy in a less than enjoyable circumstance. Why they are there should not deprive them of having that.

I'm not sure this article is in the best of taste . . . It leaves me feeling extremely uncomfortable.

I'm not sure that this article is done in the best of taste. I, for one, am extremely uncomfortable with it. Trying to make a crafting issue out of controversy? Not sure where the author is going with this- but it does not seem to be working :(

I love the article, just becase someone is locked up is not controversy it is a fact of life that many many in this world go thru. They are human and remember every one of us makes mistakes, most not as harsh as these women but its something that they have to go thru and if cooking from the commissary to remember home or loved ones I say right on! Thats the only thing that some of them have.... You dont know what has happened in their lives and its not you to judge, obviously that has been done and they are where they are.... Thank you for the story and I say girls keep cooking and good luck with the book!

For lack of another word...interesting! Thanks for the thoughts

Wow~

Hmmm... don't know that I could eat tuna nachos. That is funky. But I guess if I had no other choice-I would try anything. Great article. I never knew about this cookbook-off to google.

Interesting article and also interesting posts. I'm not sure how I feel about inmates having a sense of home and belonging. This could open a can of worms about crime and punishment as well. Violent offenders enjoying good food while the victims and loved ones live with a life of grief. Hmmmm, something to think about. But I did find it interesting anyway. I'm just sayin.

Thanks for this incredible point of view.

I like this post, very interesting. ♥

It's ironic that you can get chips in prison, which are not only bad for you but expensive, and that they use that to replicate a potato, which is a cheap and healthy food. Something is drastically wrong with that picture.

When Texas had prisoners grow their own food, people would complain that it was cruel and unusual punishment. I used to live by one, and you could see them working every day. They had cattle, chickens, corn, all kinds of veg. The only thing i never saw was fruit. I'm glad to see these ladies show some gumption and write a cookbook.

I would love to see pictures of this....

Very interesting post.

Good luck! Great post!

Thanks for sharing!

Theres something both heartwarming and sad about this, that these women have so much ingenuity but they also miss one of the key things about food; bringing people together.

Very interesting and unique article, thanks for writing and making us think.

interesting

Interesting article! I've never thought about it much. Thanks for sharing.

I worked at a county hospital ER that serves the county prison system. They were some of my best patients. Thoughtful article with a unique perspecitve.

I don't think cooking, doing laundry, and other simple daily chores mean very much to a person until she is deprived of them. The act of cooking is one of the many things that makes us feel at home. These women lack the family structure and home environment they once knew, and perhaps cooking is a way of mentally and emotionally calming them, giving them a sense of family to replace the ones they have lost.

This was very interesting and got another view of the prison system and what can be accomplished if you're creative.

I wonder how we could go to moon and can,t figure something better too do with people then cage them and mistreat them for the surposed good of society.

I think that I am a little skeptical about the positive aspect of this article. While it is endearing that these women have found ways to create a sense of home for themselves while in prison, I wander a little more to the punitive side. I agree that inmates are people too. However, each one of them, unless wrongfully accused, did something that created their environment. It is not supposed to be home. It is supposed to be a punishment for what they have done. I agree that there are many other things that we could do with people who violate the law rather than put them in cages. However, the main fact here is that they knew the consequences of their actions before they acted. They got caught. They were sent to prison. Prison is supposed to be a place where your liberties are taken away. It is not supposed to be home. I'm sure that I will probably be the most unpopular person in this blog for posting this, but it is what I believe.

I totally agree with Natalee Wright. these women committed crimes. Prison is where people are supposed to be punished for said crimes. But nowadays, it costs $18,000 a year per prisoner in taxpayer's money (in the usa). that money gets them food, clothes, entertainment, education, healthcare, etc that is totally FREE for the people who committed crimes! how is that fair?! i noticed one person who commented said she was a teacher in a prison. It makes me sick that a person can murder or rape or do other aweful things, get to have free healthcare, shelter, food, and oh, did i mention a masters degree or even a phd?! yup, that's right, a law-abiding citizen has to pay tens of thousands of dollars to get a decent education, when aweful, malignant people who do violent things get a free education. and i don't like how the author of this article seems ok with the fact that law abiding citizens pay with their own money for these prisoners to make food.

I enjoyed reading this article simply because I'd rather prisons function as correctional facilities than institutions that perpetuate or worsen criminal lifestyles and mindsets.

I had mixed feelings about this article. However, while I agree with many people that they are in prison as a punishment, I feel like many jails/prisons tend to punish inmates for the time they are their and then force them back into society where they have an incredibly difficult time gaining back any kind of life and often just return to a life of crime, whether because they were not taught what was right or because they feel like they can't survive any other way. Just a different perspective that I feel doesn't get enough attention.