Injera

Neither life nor culture can be sustained without food. On a very basic level, food is fundamentally essential for life, not simply to exist, but also to thrive. A means by which carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, nutrients, and calories are introduced into the body, food is a mechanism of survival. However, on a more abstract level, food is also fundamentally essential for culture by establishing its perimeters and dimensions and in shaping its authenticity and character. Food becomes the

Some say food is an exploration of culture, and taste evokes lush memories of the past. “ In An Island Passover” by Ethel G. Hofman, she described her life in the Shetland Islands. Every year, Hofman’s family celebrates Passover- a traditional Jewish holiday where time and effort to prepare a meal is like painting, and it takes months to reveal a masterpiece. While Hofman had a positive recollection of her family’s traditional cuisine, author of “Fish Cheeks”, Amy Tan did not share the same experience. Tan felt ashamed of sharing her traditional cuisine with a pastor's son whom she was in love with. Tan strived for her crush’s approval because she did not want to be deemed strange. Hofman and Tan had striking differences in

In Jessica Harris’s “The Culinary Season of my Childhood” she peels away at the layers of how food and a food based atmosphere affected her life in a positive way. Food to her represented an extension of culture along with gatherings of family which built the basis for her cultural identity throughout her life. Harris shares various anecdotes that exemplify how certain memories regarding food as well as the varied characteristics of her cultures’ cuisine left a lasting imprint on how she began to view food and continued to proceeding forward. she stats “My family, like many others long separated from the south, raised me in ways that continued their eating traditions, so now I can head south and sop biscuits in gravy, suck chewy bits of fat from a pigs foot spattered with hot sauce, and yes’m and no’m with the best of ‘em,.” (Pg. 109 Para). Similarly, since I am Jamaican, food remains something that holds high importance in my life due to how my family prepared, flavored, and built a food-based atmosphere. They extended the same traditions from their country of origin within the new society they were thrusted into. The impact of food and how it has factors to comfort, heal, and bring people together holds high relevance in how my self-identity was shaped regarding food.

Such unnatural crop selection slowly transforms our lush lands into monocultures, depleting the soil, harming the bees and other wildlife. To one mono-crop—soya bean—Patel devotes a whole chapter of his book, titled Glycine Max, that exposes the massive industry of soya bean production and post-production: from the soybean oil, to food for the cattle, to the enormously popular food additive lecithin. Hence, against the superpower of those who stand behind the soya bean business, one way to rebell, according to Patel, is to start cooking from the scrap, from simple ingredients and not prepacked foods brimming with additives. However, it is easier said than done,”I don't really like Ranch dressing, but can't seem to not have a salad without it” claims my friend

In this essay, I will discuss the history of tamales; their origin and reason for existence. I will review the traditional tamale and its construction as well as introduce the ever-growing market of new and improved types of tamales. I will entwine different perspectives and narratives of personal encounters with tamales, their production, and how it has come to affect their personal lives in relation to race, gender and family or community roles. Finally I will discuss the differences and similarities in tamales in my native state of New Mexico, and in my new home state of Colorado, and I will introduce tamales from and around the world in Spanish speaking countries, including a focus on such ethnicities as Mexican and Native Americans. I hope to prove that tamales are more than just good food; they belong to a people who work diligently for the sake of their family and their heritage.

During the course of history, the Gullah has protected their heritage through language, food, and customs. The Africans that were enslaved bought many of their recipes, foods, and cooking styles to the low country of the Carolinas and other coastal communities. Of the many recipes, brought to America one pot dishes, proved to be very instrumental in providing nutrition to the unbalanced rations that they received from their masters. Deep-frying, rice dishes, seafood, boiling, and steaming, baking in ashes, basic and natural seasonings, and an consistent use of rice provides a distinct taste when Gullah people are cooking. “Simply speaking, Gullah food is about ancestral ties and American living, adaptability, creativity, making do, “livin’ ot da waddah and on the lan.”” (Grantt. 2005, p 145) Cooking for the Gullah yields passion and creative expression that can only come from their strong ancestral connections, making Gullah Cooking a cultural

Spending much of her childhood in the German Coast of Acadiana, Darleen Jenkins holds on tightly to her family traditions. Moving from Luling to Houma, down to Dularge and back up to Houma again, she has been able to spot differences in the regions’ foods based on both time and place. She reminisces fondly of times when her family came together to share in meals and memories. Speaking with her one couldn’t help but to want to hear more about her childhood and transitions through adulthood.

E. Egyptians usually cook “Taxdi’a” that is vegetables in butter fat, garlic, onions, and tomato. Women agree that this type of food is very “heavy” for toddlers.

Sitting in a cozy apartment at Waverley Gardens Apartments in White Bear Lake, Henrietta Nistler flips through a large photo book containing photographs of straw huts in a desert landscape with Kenyans dressed in vibrant cloths. She has silver glasses that match her white short hair, framing a weathered face full of wisdom and kindness. Beside her sits her husband, Jim, looking over her shoulder, commenting on the photos of the time they were missionaries in Kenya. During those nine years, through the blessings and hurdles came personal growth.

The Deadly Migias cooking program is enabling the Indigenous women to not only develop healthier lifestyles, it is changing their perspectives and attitudes of nutrition. According to Brimblecombe (2014 pp.392) traditionally knowledge about food is passed from adults to children in their community. Children grow up learning from their families and the strong influence of the family environment. Through these relationships they were able to develop their knowledge on food, food preferences and eating, and this was generally the role of the mother and grandmother in the family. The Deadly Migias cooking program the women are able to become confident again in their knowledge of these “new foods” and once again be able to take this information

During this project, I learned how to make a common Hispanic dish. I also learned about different herbs that are common in Mexican culinary practices (epazote being one). After completing this project, I would say that I wish my culture was more similar to what I learned. My culture doesn’t put as much spice and flavor into the food as the Hispanic culture does. I can apply what I learned and connect more with the Hispanic culture by trying out new spices when I cook. I think the knowledge I gained from completing this project will help me appreciate other cultures’ foods more. Refried beans are a very common dish, but I don’t think most people realize how long it takes to make them. I know I didn’t until I started this project. I feel good

In the novel Like Water for Chocolate, food and Mexican family traditions are the main focus of the book. Esquivel uses food recipes from her Mexican heritage passed down from generation to generation to tell a story. The story takes the reader on a complex journey with the De la Garza family showing how the enjoyment of cooking family recipes brings honor to their ancestors, as well, as, hardship from family traditions by causing the youngest child from marrying and finding true love. Throughout the novel, the De la Garza family enjoys many family traditional food recipes, but with that came an unexpected recipe of traditional disaster. As in the novel, Like Water for Chocolate, I also have experienced a family tradition where the food is delicious but the tradition has left a bad taste in my mouth. Every

Cristina said “there are different foods, mostly that are spicy …language is different I can speak Spanish. We celebrate our 15th birthday differently. It is called quinceanera”. “ do you like spicy food” she asked me well of course one of the virtues of being Ethiopian is that almost all the foods are spicy and hot.

Thus began my frequent journeys during summer breaks to gain a deeper insight into my Moroccan roots. I travelled to a myriad of Moroccan cities, including Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, and Tangiers. Aside from the cities, I also visited small towns. My hope was that I would discover something that had tied all of these places together—something truly Moroccan. Cuisine turned out to be one of those discoveries. At home, Moroccan food had been just “food.” But here, I was experiencing Moroccan food as if for the first time.

To introduce this product to Mexico, the intention will be to craft meals that are traditional Mexican cuisine and reasonably low in cost. It will be important to use ingredients from local farmers to develop relationships within the country and to provide the service and product at the best price to build a customer base. This product seemed logical for the Mexican market when observing family eating tendencies in the culture. As a collectivist culture, Mexican families are likely to have meals together and cook at home. This product caters to this aspect and allows families to enjoy each other while making the task of cooking and planning simpler. (The Hofstede Centre, n.d.)