Prison Diary: The Monday Night Bible Study Cookbook

One of the things that impresses you about prison life is its sheer inventiveness. The things the inmates are able to build, cook or do are remarkable. They make, use and repurpose all sorts of things. They are mad-scientists and MacGyvers.

When it comes to the culinary arts, many inmates are resourceful and inventive chefs. Their ingredients come from the limited number of items that can be purchased in the commissary. Or pilfered from the kitchen. They also have limited equipment to cook with, often just a hot plate.

But the foods they cook.

"You should try my strawberry cheesecake," Al said to me a few weeks ago, "It's better than anything you'll eat in the free world."

Recently, I got the idea of collecting the recipes from the Men in White to publish them in a cookbook. Jailhouse cookbooks have been published before, but the spin for this cookbook would be a Christian spin, the recipes from the Monday Night Bible Study supplemented with Scriptures and reflections from the men in the study. The proceeds to go to a charity they select.

This week I shared the cookbook idea with the guys. We'll see how many recipes they give to me. Stay tuned.