Our culture seems to be obsessed with food. Almost every social media platform has a food section and I've seen many people taking pictures of their entrees at restaurants. And why shouldn't we love food? After all it's something we need to survive.
Eating usually starts at home and with our families. My family would either eat at the dinner table or on TV trays while watching the latest episode of our favorite show. I learned to cook from watching my parents and extended family in the kitchen and at the side of the grill. I even managed to set myself on fire once, though I'll probably never live that one down (it was only once and it did get me out of helping out with Thanksgiving after that).
I have a few comfort dishes that I love having when I'm visiting my family. I love having my mom's chicken paprikash or goulash, but she has to be the one to make the dishes. Nabe is one of my all time favorite Japanese dishes that I have when visiting my family in North Carolina. I've tried to recreate some of these dishes (with varying degrees of success), but they always seem to taste better when I'm with my family.
Most people I know have a deep connection one way or another with food. For some, it's a connection to their culture and heritage. For others it's deeply tied to family events like Thanksgiving. Or you could be like my sibling and sit in front of the Julia Child's kitchen display at the American History museum, worshiping your idol.
This past weekend, I went to one of my old roommate's birthday parties. She decided that she wanted to theme the party around food she had as a little girl growing up in Brazil. I didn't grow up eating Brazilian food, so I got to try a bunch of new things. Everything was absolutely delicious and there was so much of it that I got to take some home. My friend was so excited to share the food with her friends and it made her so happy to explain what everything was to those of us not familiar with the food.
It can be a lot of fun to experiment with flavors and ingredients, but there's something a little extra special eating the food you grew up with. It's the recipes that are passed down from one generation to the next that are true treasures. It's not just food anymore, it's a memory or an experience. I've even heard it said that parents who cook with their children are able to build stronger bonds.
I am thankful and grateful that I was able to learn how to cook from my parents. But it's not an experience everyone gets to share. Hunger is still a major problem in America and food deserts* don't seem to be going away anytime soon. There are many people who don't know where their next meal is coming from or if there will be enough to keep their children full through the night.
Food is a part of our culture. It can be tied to found memories with our family and friends. We can pass our favorite dishes down to our children and hope they pass it on to there's. We can share recipes with friends and post pictures online. We can donate to our local food pantries to help families in need.
We all need food to survive, but comfort food is for us to share.
If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like to hear from me. Until next week.
*According to the USDA a food desert is: "parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers' markets, and healthy food providers."
This past weekend, I went to one of my old roommate's birthday parties. She decided that she wanted to theme the party around food she had as a little girl growing up in Brazil. I didn't grow up eating Brazilian food, so I got to try a bunch of new things. Everything was absolutely delicious and there was so much of it that I got to take some home. My friend was so excited to share the food with her friends and it made her so happy to explain what everything was to those of us not familiar with the food.
It can be a lot of fun to experiment with flavors and ingredients, but there's something a little extra special eating the food you grew up with. It's the recipes that are passed down from one generation to the next that are true treasures. It's not just food anymore, it's a memory or an experience. I've even heard it said that parents who cook with their children are able to build stronger bonds.
I am thankful and grateful that I was able to learn how to cook from my parents. But it's not an experience everyone gets to share. Hunger is still a major problem in America and food deserts* don't seem to be going away anytime soon. There are many people who don't know where their next meal is coming from or if there will be enough to keep their children full through the night.
Food is a part of our culture. It can be tied to found memories with our family and friends. We can pass our favorite dishes down to our children and hope they pass it on to there's. We can share recipes with friends and post pictures online. We can donate to our local food pantries to help families in need.
We all need food to survive, but comfort food is for us to share.
If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like to hear from me. Until next week.
*According to the USDA a food desert is: "parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers' markets, and healthy food providers."
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