WORKSHOP: "Cooking with Ed Brown, Zen Buddhist Priest.

In the 13th Century, Zen master Dogen (1200-1253) – perhaps the most significant of all Japanese philosophers and founder of the Soto Zen sect – wrote a practical manual of Instructions for the Zen Cook. Drawing parallels between preparing meals for the Zen monastery and spiritual training, he reveals far more than simply the rules and manners of the Zen kitchen; he taught how to “cook,” or refine our lives.

Ed’s workshop will do the same. He will cook and teach “how to cook” both food and how to “cook” oneself in spiritual growth. As you can see, this is an ancient undertaking newly revived.

Edward Brown will lead a cooking workshop exploring culinary practices through the lens of Zen Buddhist philosophy. Dishes prepared will include fresh organic produce from Sweetwater Farm. Workshop will include culinary instruction and freshly-prepared meal. Workshop will be held outdoors; please dress accordingly. Inclement weather cancels.

BIO: Edward Espe Brown is a Soto Zen Buddhist priest and leader of the Peaceful Sea Sangha. Edward was ordained in 1971 by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, who gave him the Dharma name Jusan Kainei, which means "Longevity Mountain, Peaceful Sea." Edward has been practicing Zen since 1965 and also has done extensive vipassana practice, yoga, and chi gung. He leads regular sitting groups and meditation retreats in Northern California and offers workshops in the U.S. and internationally on a variety of subjects, including cooking, handwriting change, and Mindfulness Touch. Edward is an accomplished chef, who helped found Greens Restaurant in San Francisco and worked with Deborah Madison in writing The Greens Cookbook. Edward's other books include The Tassajara Bread Book, Tassajara Cooking, The Tassajara Recipe Book, and Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings. He also edited Not Always So, a collection of Suzuki Roshi's lectures. In 2007, Edward appeared in How to Cook Your Life, a critically acclaimed feature-length documentary film directed by Doris Dörrie.

FEE: $45 per person. Limited number of work-trade partial scholarships available - please ask. Proceeds support Ed Brown and Sweetwater's nonprofit work.

Please RSVP by Feb. 15 to assocdir@sweetwater-organic.org.