There’s something deeply comforting about the taste of cottage pie, the simple yet hearty dish of minced meat and vegetables topped and thyme.
For many of us, the aroma of a freshly baked pie brings back a flood of memories. The thoughtfulness of your mom, the warm embrace of your beloved grandma, or the irreplaceable feeling of being nurtured. But for Fredrick, cottage pies remind him of the quiet compassion of the nuns at St. Peter Chanel School.
As he shares his surprisingly eventful life in his memoir, “Switched At Birth,” Fredrick J. George takes us back to the world of memories, not ours but his. Growing up as one of thirteen children in a modest family, Fredrick does not rely on the challenges to define his past but on the kindness of those who cared for him.
Flavors That Shaped a Life
Frederick’s family often struggled to make ends meet, and meals were simple. At school, the nuns noticed the undeclared needs of the George children. Recognizing the quiet hunger in their eyes, the nuns invited Frederick and his brother Paul to the rectory for lunch. It was there that Frederick first tasted cottage pie, a dish he would forever associate with care and warmth.
The devouring blend of minced meat, vegetables, and thyme not only provided sustenance but also the nuns’ compassion. Frederick would later recall how the savory flavors of thyme and the creamy texture of the pie felt like a feast to a young boy accustomed to going without.
Acts of Quiet Compassion
The nuns’ kindness extended beyond food. When Frederick began school later than his peers, they thoughtfully decided to hold his younger brother back a year so he wouldn’t feel alone. This helped Frederick’s transition and allowed him to easily find his footing in the classroom.
The nuns were known for their strict discipline; however, their actions were only for empathy. They knew that education also meant nurturing. Their patience and care for Fredrick taught him to look out for others.
The Power of Food and Memory
Food has a unique ability to anchor memories, and for Frederick, the taste of cottage pie remains inseparable from those formative years. Even as an adult preparing the dish for his own family, he would fondly remember the ladies who showed him that he mattered.
Now that we, along with Fredrick, reflect on his childhood years in his memoir, “Switched At Birth,” we cannot help but feel responsible for showing compassion to others.
Whether through the meals we share, the encouragement we offer, or the connections we create, there are many ways to make others feel happy and safe. Perhaps, like the nuns from Frederick’s childhood, we too can create long-lasting memories, starting with something as humble as a cottage pie.
Switched At Birth: My Life in Someone Elses World by Fredrick J. George is now available on Amazon.