Table Culture: The Browns
Table Culture is about people. It is about people’s stories at the table as they unfold, effortlessly.
There are few experiences more personal and fulfilling than sharing a meal with someone. Sharing a meal opens the door to deep connection.
We want to capture the powerful story that lives within those daily bread-breaking experiences. We want to share that with the world, in hopes to raise appreciation for the ordinary things we live everyday, often taken for granted.
Shortly after we launched Table Culture, back in May, Stacy reached out to talk about the possibility of documenting her table. She knew we would be in Alaska the following month, and she had tickets to join us in our Cordova adventure! So, we jumped at the opportunity to follow her back to Anchorage after the Supper, and share her table.
Stacy and her husband Aaron fell for Alaska a while ago. They settled in Anchorage, where they built their dream home a few years back. The Browns are a family of eight, only their three youngest—E, E, and C, still get to enjoy home in the Last Frontier, as the oldest kids have departed to pursue degrees and careers elsewhere in the country.
I was welcomed into The Browns’ with a big smile and the sweet smell of strawberry and rhubarb galettes bubbling in the oven!
Stacy’s oldest son at home, E, was the kindest soul and moved around the kitchen helping her out in anyway he could, his girlfriend M joined the party, shortly after my arrival. C—Stacy’s youngest—was also with us in the kitchen, he seemed to enjoy having the camera around, which was quite endearing!
As Stacy finished a sauce for the salmon, Aaron arrived from work. We all talked about their love for food, the dinner in Cordova, and our Table Culture project.
E, Stacy’s 10 year old, joined us closer to dinner time, she had mentioned E was a bit shy. He was reserved, but very friendly and sweet, just like everyone else in the family!
Between chats and the wonderful food Stacy was preparing for dinner, an hour flew by! As soon as the salmon was out of the oven, everyone grabbed a plate and got their servings from the kitchen island, then made their way back to the table.
There were talks about baseball practice, summer jobs, and going back to school; just like any family that enjoys dinner time catching up and sharing what’s on their mind. A sacred time and an open space!
After snapping a few shots of The Browns at the table, I joined them for dinner. I can absolutely vouch for the juicy Copper River salmon that Stacy brought back from Cordova, which she prepared with butter, dill, parsley, and lemon. It was all delicious!
We talked about Secret Supper and where we are going next, Stacy made sure I knew our table would be beyond welcome in Anchorage. She even showed me around a bit and I have to say, I can see how they fell in love with the area!
It was really interesting and heart-warming to tap a little more into the life of someone who follows our journey and has sat at our table. Once I spent a few moments at Stacy’s, it all made sense, she’s a foodie and a rockstar homemaker.
Nearly six hours after meeting The Browns—and after several stops in the forest—Stacy was kind enough to drop me off at the airport for my flight back to Portland. It was such an amazing experience to get to spend some time with her and the family. I do hope we get back to Alaska soon, so the whole team gets to experience such warmth and hospitality again.
Have a glance into The Browns’ Table Culture through the images below.
