Cassandra Kuplast

Professor Jesse Miller

ENG 110 H-5

Oct 30th 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 miniscule 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. 

      When I think of my favorite meal, I think of Butternut Squash Soup and a day spent surrounded by my family. Thinking of my favorite meal brings me back to autumn saturday’s in my childhood, which always ended in a heartwarming meal. My Butternut Squash soup is not only a meal, but it is a comfort food as well. It is made by my mother, and she adds a touch of love to each meal that she makes. I believe that this is the element that makes the soup my favorite meal. It is not just the warmth of the soup itself, or the heavenly aroma it provides, but it is who makes it. My mom often lets me help her in the kitchen, and it is a way for us to spend time with each other. I have hundreds of memories of time spent with her in the kitchen, and I believe it’s what makes this soup so important to me. I think as people, we associate our favorite meals with memories as well. When Fendiana and Fernandez think of their favorite meals, it is not their favorite simply because it tastes good. The flavor certainly helps, but it is not the sole reason why the meal holds significance to them. For Fendiana, it is a way for her to connect with her family that is on the other side of the globe. For Fernandez, it is a way for his father and grandmother to teach him about where he came from. Both of these students have found ways to connect with their heritage, and it is, in part, due to food. Their parents and grandparents showed them both parts of their culture through food. 

      Food has the ability to highlight important aspects of life in an almost innocent way. You can see the changes through generations in the way that they view food. Pollan often talked about how his mother would watch Julia Child, the French chef, on TV and try and resemble her cooking. This is very different then how Pollan’s grandmother would prepare food. She would idolize her mentors, or maybe women that she knew around the neighborhood. She would look to cookbooks to prepare new meals. This is quite the contrast from how Pollan’s mother made her meals. This shows how much has changed through generations, and how each one sees food differently.