The interior of the Russellville Public Library is, for better or worse, a make-do place. The paint is peeling, the rugs are stained, and the ceilings are bare of drywall and layers of plaster. Windows are boarded up. During the day, light floods through the glass storefront, the glass ceilings provide space for a handful of books and the soundtrack is piped through the hallway’s doorways. At night, things get dark — and a lot of it is because of the light bulbs used for the place’s light switches.
What began as a low-tech iteration of the library has evolved into a quirky place where a number of “second time around” has found people like Michael Dubkins and his wife, Angie Somsak, visiting regularly. (Both are in their early 30s.) Together, they’ve curated a collection of books on mushrooms and made the library a resource for mushrooms research and healing. Aside from the continued use of English pea fiber paper, which helps heat nutrients into the food, much of the library’s content is neither known nor researched. That has allowed them to create what, at least in their home, would at first glance seem to be an entirely new kind of Internet. Somsak does interviews with scholars who examine how mushrooms have aided diverse cultures around the world. Dubkins does a lot of the research and writing on the mushrooms themselves and produces books that delve into mushroom food health and how to find them. (Dubkins creates some information himself, but much of the library content is sourced from other sources.)
“We’re basically a self-taught, do-it-yourself library,” Somsak said of the place they’ve dubbed Yoga/Mushroom House. It’s clear that these folks understand how to promote a truly inclusive learning environment, no matter how basic the resources. One of the things this community library has succeeded in bringing to its community is a way of seeing the community through the eyes of different cultures and histories.
Creamed Rice With English Peas and Country Ham
Yield: Makes about 16 servings
Ingredients
For the onion and garlic paste:
- 8-ounce bag of frozen English peas, thawed and drained
- 3/4 cup skim milk or water
For the cayenne mixture:
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
For the rice:
- 3 1/2 cups peeled, cut-up English peas, in their pods and stalks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons powdered garlic
- 2 teaspoons powdered ginger
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the skewers:
- 2 large English Peas, thawed and shredded into bite-size pieces
- 8 to 10 gingerbread sticks
- 4 ounces country ham, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
Hot sauce, to taste
Directions
- For the onion and garlic paste: In a large bowl, toss together the peas and 2 tablespoons of the milk or water until the peas are well coated. Transfer to a food processor, or pulse with a fork in a small bowl until smooth. Add the remaining milk or water and pulse until the paste is fine. (The mixture may be too thick for a food processor.) Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.
- For the cayenne mixture: In a large bowl, toss together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne, hot sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon of the cold liquid. Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped onion, and lightly coat. Transfer to a blender, and pulse on and off until the spices are broken up and you have a thick paste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (The paste can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.)
- For the rice: Bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook until the rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Strain, and rinse under cold water to remove any debris. Place the rice in a colander and toss to remove any sand or grit. Place the grains in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is light and creamy. Transfer to a large bowl.
- To prepare the skewers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the pea pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of salt. Arrange the gingerbread sticks on top. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to soften. (The gingerbread sticks will release their nutty flavor before the peas.)