Cassandra Kuplast

Professor Jesse Miller

ENG 110 H-5

14th, October 2019

                                                       Food Through Our Perspective.

      Perspective is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.” According to this definition, there are many ways that one can hold perspective about something. It is very subjective, and different people have different perspectives. How does this influence the way we view food? We can observe it on the minuscule level of one person loving broccoli, and another absolutely dreading it. This is a difference in perspective. However, we can also look at perspective through food at a global level. How does one society view food in contrast to a society in a different economic location? Is food viewed differently based on geographics or social class? These are all questions whose answers will be influenced based on our perspective. In this paper, we will take a look at multiple people’s perspectives on their favorite meals, and we will attempt to answer this question. Why is food and our relationship to it so important to us in our modern day society? 

      One of the best parts of food is arguably the fact that it is supposed to taste good. A warm, hearty, home cooked meal is an amazing aspect of life, and those who get to experience it are considered lucky. However, when we think about our favorite meal, is it only the taste that makes it our favorite? What aspects of the meal make it cherishable? In Diego Fernandez’s favorite meal essay, he explained what his favorite meal meant to him. He explains how his father’s cooking has transported him from his rural Massachusetts home, to his grandmother’s in Puerto Rico. In his words, “For me, the dish (Pastelillos) is a way of connecting with Puerto Rican culture and my heritage. Growing up in rural Massachusetts, my only way of experiencing Hispanic culture outside of physically going to Puerto Rico was through food.” Many people can resonate with his experience. When I taste gnocchis topped with the perfect marinara, I can almost smell my great aunt, and feel her hug. Food has ways of connecting us with our favorite memories and experiences. In Angel Fendiana’s Favorite Meal essay, she explains how her favorite meals helps her feel connected to her family as well. “The spicy chicken curry holds a special place in my heart, but my mom also has many memories that came from this dish. It is one of the dishes that my mom grew up with to cook and eat, and it always reminds her of her family. Most of my family live in Indonesia, including my grandparents, cousins, and other relatives. They’re across the world and we only see them from time to time. The spicy chicken curry made her think of her hometown and how it is always served in family gatherings.” It seems that Fendiana shares a similar perspective to Fernandez, even though they have different connotations. Food can connect people, even if they are thousands of miles away. When eating spicy chicken curry, Fendiana feels the same association to her faraway family in Indonesia that Fernandez feels while eating his Pastelillos. Through these two perspectives, we can associate the idea that the significance of food isn’t just related to the flavor. Fendiana explains that her dish makes her think of her family who is miles away, but still connected by their love for spicy chicken curry. The memories of the dish aren’t just of the marvelous flavor combinations, but of the people who are surrounded by the dish as well.