Connecting to Food on a Personal and Cultural Level

Food has an essential connection to memory.  The tastes, smells, textures, colours, even sounds of cooking are engrained into our minds and seem to spark a memory at the most random of times.  In both stories, memories of those loved people who have past are found through the food they eat. 

Ahn felt a divide in his cultural background between Korean and American which was amplified when referring to food. The stark contrasts between the deep tastes and smells of Korean food compared to more neutral American food left him feeling different than his other American friends until he essentially dropped Korean food all together.  Nicholson's family instead of growing up with amplified tastes ate bland food.  Simple dishes, a staple of potatoes and meat. Upon death, in both stories the diets of the main character changes.  Ahn revives a love for Korean food.  He heads back to his Korean roots in both language, culture and diet while making an effort to find a balance with his adopted countries traditions.  Nicholson's mother does the opposite, taking the opportunity to eat foods that her deceased husband had not enjoyed. 

I did not notice my own personal and cultural connections to food until I left home.  At home my family would visit my grandmothers for supper nearly once a week. On these days we would eat potatoes, meat and cooked vegetables, in a different form each time. The desserts are a special part of supper.  She has five desserts; eclairs, gingerbread, pineapple upside down cake, short bread or rice pudding.  On the way to dinner we always bet on which one it will be.  At home we eat pasta dishes or rice dishes nearly every night.

Upon arriving to Colorado the most common food I found is Mexican.  Being from Canada, mexican food is not common and if available it is definitely not very spicy.  I find myself missing my mother, father and grandmother's cooking.  Like both Ahn and Nicholson I will find myself eating, smelling or seeing something familiar and going back to a memory of a former meal with my family.  It is remarkable how food can bring people together and become part of a relationship both culturally and personally.

My Latest Meal

To give some background on me before beginning my blog, I am an alpine skier on Denver's Varsity team.  I have spent years training, racing and traveling the world skiing. Currently I am in northern California at Squaw Valley and Mammoth Mountain. Food is a very important part of my life. Eating correctly can change the way I perform on a given day.  At school, living in the dorms this has become difficult as I do not believe there are healthy choices available to me.  My most recent meal was just the opposite.

Luckily for me one of my teammates grew up in Squaw Valley so I was invited to stay at his house there.  Having not been home since Christmas break, eating a home-cooked meal is something I have been dreaming about.  Me and four of my teammates sat down late last night to a feast made by the mother of the house;Lucia Jampolsky.  This meal consisted of sauteed shrimp with tomatoes in a buttery sauce poured on top of a mixture of quinoa, rice and grains.  There were barbequed asparagus and fresh bread, large spinach salad with goat cheese, dried cranberries, nuts, avocados and many more goodies.  We finished the meal off with a glass of wine and a piece of pie. 

Needless to say after the meal all five of us, after lazily doing the dishes fell into the couch, stuffed from dinner.  This meal was remarkable, both incredibly healthy, delicious and filling.  The meals we have been eating recently have been an event that everyone gathers around to enjoy rather than passing through a cafeteria and quickly scarfing down a slice of pizza alone. This morning I woke up still satisfied from last night's dinner, with the energy to ski all day today and am already looking forward to tonight!