Life Overview in Terms of Food
For as long as I can remember, I was always surrounded by testaments to my Hispanic heritage. This included my parents way of speaking to me, which was mostly Spanish and English, as well as what we would typically eat. While it is true that we do eat foods from different cultures, growing up, my mom would make us different kinds of foods, most of which were recipes that she had seen as a child, such as her Colombian tamales, empanadas, arepas, pan de bonos, and milanesa. However, I also noticed that I paid a great deal of attention to foods from restaurants that the U.S. had exposed me to, especially fast food restaurants. This, in turn, has drawn a distinct line within me between my family’s traditional cultures, and the more liberal point of view of the outside world.
Relatives from my mother's side at my grandparents' birthdays (I was holding one of the camera phones in the crowd).
I suppose that deep down, the exposure to foods from my family’s cultures made me want to explore foods from other cultures, as well as determine whether or not I preferred them to what my family made. This turned out to be an accurate assumption, seeing as my favorite foods included pizza and burgers, which have been capitalized by the U.S. culture as creative dishes that may not necessarily be healthy, but are desirable because of their taste. As far as I know, these foods had more humble origins, but were altered by American culture to the point that they became something unlike what they stood for. In some ways, this happened with similar dishes that my mother and father knew about growing up. For example, the style of tamales my father was use to were made by using corn leaves, and filling them up with pieces of meat, vegetables, and sometimes cheese. However, in places like Pappas Bar-B-Q, tamales are filled with brisket and seasonings, which are not what traditional Mexican tamales that my father was exposed to are supposed to represent.
One of the dishes my mom makes the most is something called milanesa, which is meat that is similar to flank steak. Usually, she makes it with diced onions and tomatoes, which is all pan fried and served with rice and fried plantains. However, for most people, this meal is similar to something else entirely: steaks with sautéed onions, pasta, bread, and salads. While this connection is stretching it to some degree, I do believe that regardless, foods that I have seen since childhood do possess some similarities to foods I have seen in various restaurants and stores, the difference being that they now have an unhealthy profile behind their tempting appearances.
I suppose that in some ways, I am like the food that I am influenced by: the traditional foods of my culture and the liberal foods of the outside world around me. In other words, I see myself as someone who does what he can to uphold his traditions and cultures that he originates from, but is also pulled in by the tempting nature of the outside world, to the point where I find some of my own culture to be either difficult to maintain, or unappealing to me. I have lived in Houston my entire life, and I know all too well that it is a very diverse city where various ethnicities and cultures convene; but like I said, some of those foods have been given alterations that affect the traditions they represent.
I suppose that in some ways, I am like the food that I am influenced by: the traditional foods of my culture and the liberal foods of the outside world around me. In other words, I see myself as someone who does what he can to uphold his traditions and cultures that he originates from, but is also pulled in by the tempting nature of the outside world, to the point where I find some of my own culture to be either difficult to maintain, or unappealing to me. I have lived in Houston my entire life, and I know all too well that it is a very diverse city where various ethnicities and cultures convene; but like I said, some of those foods have been given alterations that affect the traditions they represent.
It’s like my mother has always told me, “You are what you eat.” While she may have acquired that quote from someone else, it still holds true to the direction for which all of our lives take, including myself. The difficult part for me is to maintain a balance within my life: to be traditional, while at the same time liberal. I know that it is important to retain tradition, but not to where you are closed off from the outside world. I also know that it is important to be open-minded and liberal about what the world has to offer, but not to the point where you break from tradition and lose part of your personal identity in the process.
In the end, I am tied by traditional and liberal ways of life, both in what I am, and what I eat. Being in Food as Communication, I hope to be able to find the ideal balance between traditional and liberal ways of thinking, no matter what I do and what I eat. For the most part, I have a liberal mindset when it comes to food, so I feel that I should find a way to pull myself more towards traditional practices so that I do not negatively affect my relationship with my family. As I continue onward with my life, I hope to be able to maintain a balance that will provide me with a better understanding of the importance of what I eat, and how it affects my surroundings and relationships.
In the end, I am tied by traditional and liberal ways of life, both in what I am, and what I eat. Being in Food as Communication, I hope to be able to find the ideal balance between traditional and liberal ways of thinking, no matter what I do and what I eat. For the most part, I have a liberal mindset when it comes to food, so I feel that I should find a way to pull myself more towards traditional practices so that I do not negatively affect my relationship with my family. As I continue onward with my life, I hope to be able to maintain a balance that will provide me with a better understanding of the importance of what I eat, and how it affects my surroundings and relationships.
Super Bowl Night!!!
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