Kitchensurfing

“Bodhisattva(s) can wander from place to place and always be sure to find a spot to sleep in among friends and cook up mush”  – Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Come to Austin, Texas and you will find the Bodhisattvas Kerouac describes. But not just anywhere in Austin, these Bodhisattvas reside in Austin’s CouchSurfing community.

couchsurfers

During my 9 mo. stay in ATX, I was blessed to find myself cohabitating in a 3 bedroom house with two CSers, a violinist landlord and one house kitty. In days I went from knowing no one to hoping in a van with my housemate, a long-haired goateed Greek, to having 20+ new friends and never without a thing to do. With open hearts, homes and healthy appetites, the couchsurfing community left an unforgettable print on my life particularly in the realms of food. Whether dumpster diving, co-opting with local farmers or throwing epic dinner parties, this group knows how to feast!

chef igor at ginger night.

Through couchsurfing’s online community, word of mouth, and understood group standards, CSers threw together the best diner parties. My personal favorites were the surprise ingredient meals. Rules: All cooks must include X ingredient in their dishes and be preferably prominent. For Ginger night, I contributed molasses and ginger ice cream sandwiches, while the more talented chefs, the lovable Russian Igor and handsome chef Mario, whipped up the main courses. Austin CSers provide access to mouth-watering food from diverse cultures to friends new and old. Don’t miss out on a chance to chow down with these people!

photo by igor postrekhin. pel'meni making party.

Today, it’s great see this passion for food and people emulated in online-to-offline communities such as Kitchensurfing, who launches soon, and Feastly, which launched late 2011. I wish I could have attended this Feastly meal. These networks connect chefs of all kinds to lovers of food and good company breaking down the confines of the restaurant and opening it up to the more intimate experience of the home. I’m looking forward to seeing how these communities evolve and glad to know it is now easier for there to be a little Bodhisattva in us all.

photo by feastly. Southern Comfort Brunch.