Grove City Messenger - May 1st, 2022

PAGE 6 - GROVE CITY MESSENGER - May 1, 2022
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COOKING
Continued from page 1
using the only ingredients available to them.
“It’s solidarity food,” Samantha would say.
Like Seng’s mother and father, the majority of their
guests had fled, or knew someone who had fled, the
war in Cambodia that left millions dead from genocide,
starvation, or forced labor during the mid-to-late
1970s. They all knew someone who had been killed;
Samantha herself was the lone survivor in her family.
Though these heavy topics were not regularly
broached at the festive gatherings, the people there
always made space for someone who wanted to share
these memories. That way, they could give them plenty
of comfort in order to lift them back up.
When the sorrow would subside, they would carry
on with their tasks so they all could fill their bellies
with the food of their native land and new homeland.
Then they would revel with appreciation that they
were alive, that they were living, and that they still
had so much to live for.
Being a witness to these complicated memories and
complex moments had a profound and lasting impact
on his life, said Seng.
“I grew up learning lessons about triumphs, perseverance,
strength, and never giving up.”
He said he had always wanted to find a way to give
back to his community — to pay homage to the elders
that worked so hard to build a better life for his generation
— but was at a loss as to what he could do.
A school project helped him discover the perfect way
to achieve that goal.
For the last two years, Seng, a 2018 graduate of the
South-Western Career Academy, has been studying
advertising and graphic design at the Columbus
College of Art & Design. As a part of his senior capstone
project — “the most important project of my academic
career,” he explained — he was tasked with creating
an experience for an audience that shares a passion
for their chosen subject.
Initially, he envisioned an event in a hall with a traditional
Khmer buffet and a live band with his mother
performing. He quickly came to the realization that
dream was not to be.
“It was outside of my scope and budget,” he said.
Thinking back to the important connection between
food and stories, he ran with the idea for a cookbook
featuring recipes from members of the local Khmer
community. He envisioned interviews with the cooks
so he could document the stories behind their personal
connection to their favorite dish.
He wanted it to be titled “Tarsu Cookbook” because
he felt that word truly encapsulated who they are as
people.
“Tarsu means perseverance, solidarity, community,
and love.”
While Seng had faith he could competently complete
this ambitious project, he does admit he had
some reservations in regard to the community’s reception
for his idea. He said once he started explaining his
vision, however, they opened up in the most unexpected
ways.
“Everyone that I talked to was so excited to share,”
he said. “They wanted to pass on the recipes to my generation.
They wanted to teach, to spread the culture, to
spread the love.”
Over the course of several months, Seng interviewed
10 people for the “Tarsu Cookbook” and collected
21 recipes that range from generational dishes like
Nom Pachok and Amok to some more modern ones
inspired by “YouTube mothers.” He videorecorded the
interviews and the meal preparation process. He also
took professional portraits of the cooks. His mother
helped provide translations for the project.
The “Tarsu Cookbook” was launched during the
Khmer New Year Festival, which was held at the
Buddhist Temple (Wat Samakyserirattanaram) in
Grove City from April 15-17. His initial run of 50
copies quickly sold out.
Seng said he was overwhelmed by the community’s
response to the cookbook, which he called his participation
in one of the most rewarding experiences of his
life.
“The support for my project was more than I could
have ever imagined,” he said. “The event was packed
full of people excited to celebrate, and I felt my entire
community lift me up in a way I’ve never experienced
before.
“This project was a love letter to my people, and
what I got back was the same love multiplied by a
thousand. There aren’t enough words to describe the
joy I feel.”