How often do you hear people say, “I love food?” Food is something that many of us
fortunate people take for granted every time we reach for a snack, sit down for
a meal, or grab something on the go to quell our hunger. It almost becomes awkward and difficult
to discuss what food means to us on a personal level, however tangible that
food may be. But for some, it is a
vehicle to express emotion.
Having watched videos and received brief introductions to
the spiritual nature of food in other cultures, it can be difficult to draw
parallels to personal experiences.
However loose these ties may be, I keep coming back to my grandmother’s
kitchen. I spent many days with
her learning hands-on. When my
grandfather would leave for a while, I always wanted to bake for him. Even if the cake we made was from a
box, the efforts of preparation and decoration sent a message of care. The addition of a stick of butter (not
included in the directions) just made the generic mix more personal, not to
mention the fact that it made the cake taste much, much better.
Years later, the days spent in my grandmother’s kitchen
remain a cornerstone of how I approach food. People often joke about proud mothers sending their children
off on the first day of school, taking photographs to show off later regardless
of it being embarrassing or annoying.
But, after preparing a meal, it isn’t uncommon for me to take a picture
and send it to a friend. Why
shouldn’t I? I created that.
I am fortunate enough to have a group
of friends from high school who regard food in the same manner as I do. For holidays, we get together and spend
an evening cooking a good meal instead of getting each other gifts. It started as a way to do something special
while still operating on the budget of college students, but it has become so
much more personal than a wrapped gift.
The time it takes to cook the meal gives us more time to catch up, to
take a break from hectic schedules and escape the moving world outside. It’s therapeutic.
For me, this is the fundamental concept of food. It is extremely hard for me to separate
myself from food and objectify it, hence an entry in which I talk about myself
(I promise I’m not vain). But when
I think about it, that’s what food should be like. Isn’t that a much more uplifting way to approach something
so necessary?
I loved watching The Meaning of Food and watching the people of different cultures and their connection to each other and their traditional foods. It’s interesting to be able to see the differences of value various cultures and people may place on their food. I have seen it myself in my own house. My dad, who grew up in the US, will easily go to the grocery store and buy the food that is less time consuming to make. While my mom on the other hand, who was raised in Panama, loves to take her time while cooking and always seems to get us all involved. I love that just this first week of class alone will make me value the cooking time I have with my family more and the food we share.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of getting together and preparing a meal rather than getting each other gifts. I am not big into the whole getting and receiving gifts (though it is sometimes hard not to be excited when I do). Spending time preparing a meal is much more meaningful than buying a gift from a store and the opportunity to build relationships is one that has been diminishing.
ReplyDeleteMore butter makes everything taste better. What do you think most people mean when they say, "I love food"? They love eating it? They love having lots of it?
ReplyDelete