I'd like everyone to get started blogging on here, so set up your Blogger account if you don't already have one. When you're official, please join the discussion.
What do you think about food? Is it a hobby, a passion, or just a necessity? Are you active in any discourse community that deals with food, food preparation, food aid, food policy, etc.?
Just for kicks, after you riff a while about your relationship to food, try to think of one or two expressions, cliches, or turns-of-phrase in our language that involve food or eating. Read the respondents who came before you--no repeats!!
Like I said in class yesterday, I really love to make cookies. So for me, food is a hobby, especially baking. I've been baking cookies for about 5 years, starting in high school when I would make my friends cookies for their birthdays. Soon enough when people found out, my calendar filled up to about 2 or 3 birthdays a week. I've almost perfected the chocolate chip recipe and I'm working a lot more in my kitchen on different ones.
ReplyDeleteLast quarter in our Interior Design studio class we had to redesign a firehouse into a home for two empty nesters. Part of the project was to learn all about kitchen planning and the "work triangle" within. I did a lot of research on how to plan kitchens to best suit different situations.
Food as terms of endearment: Peach, Puddin', Cupcake etc...
I believe that food is a social thing. I think it also has to do with who you are around and who you choose to be around. Food is a center piece for social gatherings. For example when you are in a relationship, or living with a boyfriend or girlfriend you tend to cook more than say if you were single. The holidays are a time where you get together with family and friends and eating has a huge part in that gathering. I love to cook, but for other people. If I only need a meal for one I am much more likely just to grab something rather than going to all the trouble of the grocery store and such. I think cooking is a very meaningful and sentimental thing to do for someone
ReplyDeleteI personally have a few passions when it comes to food. Having grown up most of my life in the Cincinnati area, minus a few years in Indiana, I feel compelled to eat at LaRosa’s and Skyline at least once a week. Every time I eat a 3-way it reminds me of my childhood. My mom ate Skyline religiously when she was pregnant with me and when I was a kid we ate there once a week. So, it’s no surprise that I would carry on the tradition. Whenever I have friends from out of town visit, I have to introduce them to Skyline and LaRosa’s. Whether or not someone likes Skyline is a true test or their worth as a friend.
ReplyDeleteMy other passion besides “Cincinnati foods” would be imported and microbrew beer. There’s nothing better than cruising the aisles at Jungle Jim’s to find a new beer from some far flung country. Sometimes the trip is a bust, ending in a night of bad beer. While other trips end in pure ecstasy. My only requirement for a taste test is that the beer be at least orange if not darker. A good night starts at Skyline and ends with a good beer.
I can’t really think of any “expressions or clichés” other than, “What’s that have to do with the price of tea in China?”
I went to Chipotle for lunch today, and notice that the soft drink lid was made by International Paper and their soft drink had writing on the side... had anyone ever read those writings???
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with christina that food "is a center piece for social gatherings" Our biggest holidays such as Christmas or Thanksgiving revolve around food. I feel that it also brings friends and families together. Whether its over a family dinner, an event or gathering we tend to unit over food and it doesn't matter how different we are because food is one thing we all have in common, we all need to eat to survive.
ReplyDeleteI also feel that food still has a lot to say about culture. A lot of things are now standardized no matter what country you are from. We wear similar clothing, live in similar type homes and may have the same technology. But food is still one thing that varies a lot from country to country and it can say a lot about the culture of the place.
I feel that food is not only a hobby and a necessity but a passion as well. Some people may like to eat for fun or eat just because they know they have to and those are the ones who really don't care about the flavors. Others may really enjoy the different kinds of food and have a desire to eat certain foods and appreciate the great taste. I've come to realize that different people eat for different reasons.
ReplyDeleteIf someone was around me or one of my friends while we were enjoying a good meal, you might hear one of us say that the food is "bangin" or "I'm smashin." This just means the food is REALLY good and we don't want to be bothered while enjoying the meal.
I agree with harrila that food is a hobby, necessity and a passion. However, growing up I would have said it was more of a necessity or add-on. Our family gatherings centered on cards and board games with food to snack on. Working as a Wilderness Counselor, I learned more about the dynamics of food prep and nutrition.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult, I can appreciate the idea of "soul food" and "comfort food." The mixing of flavors and people are one of the best parts of life for me.
Food to me is more of an equation, or chemical experiment. I take care to note what I am putting into my body and look at how that will affect my output in terms of energy. Thus, food is very compartmentalized for me, with foods falling into different categories of carbs, protein, natural sugars, etc. And trying to get the right combination that will keep me going while keeping me fine tuned to optimize output. An expression that came to mind:"Who cut the cheese?" I think we all know what that's referring to...
ReplyDeleteI look at food mainly as a necessity. We need it to survive. It gives us energy, nourishes our bodies, and helps us grow. I also believe that food is used for other purposes such as social gatherings as Christina and Kristi said. Sometimes when people are invited to an event, they tend to ask if there is going to be food. It's something that is automatically associated with "get togethers".
ReplyDeleteSome people use food as comfort when under a lot of stress or when experiencing depression. Eating things that taste good might put you in a better mood.
I don't really like to cook and it's probably because I can be somewhat impatient and because of the lifestyle I live. I am hardly ever at home so I don't incorporate the time in my daily schedule. I like the covenience of "fast food". Since I'm always on the go I'll just pick up a bite to eat whenever I get hungry. I realize that's not the healthy thing to do. I'm sure I'll change my eating habits as I get older.
Food is everything. It goes beyond a mere necessity, incorporating habits, passions, vices, and desires. For me, food is many of those things. When I get bored, I eat. Thus it becomes a habit, and not a good one. When I am exhausted from running or playing sports, I must eat to replace the energy i expended. When I am at a party or throwing a party, food is often at the top of the list in importance.
ReplyDeleteBut most importantly to me, food is tradition and passion. I often think about, or at least experience, food's ability to stand as the hallmark of a family tradition. Along with that, the very same food has the power to recall memories associated with it. Finally, one of my greatest passions has always been cooking. Baking, specifically. In fact, there aren't many people I know who aren't aware of my reputation for cheesecakes. It is common knowledge in my family that dessert for our extended family's Christmas Eve Dinner is my territory every year. One of the top reasons why I'm excited to finally move off campus next year: our own kitchen, so I can cook.
As for phrases, in the words of my good friend Jim Carrey:
"That's the way the cookie crumbles" --from Bruce Almighty
Food is an important part of my life. I love to cook and eat, especially with the people I love. Growing up, my family's social gatherings always centered on food. I first started helping out in the kitchen at a very young age. There are pictures of me helping my mom bake Christmas cookies, and I must have only been three or four. I didn't start to help with the main course until high school. Now, since I'm living on my own I've learned to cook the basics. I love learning new recipes and sharing these meals with my roommates and friends. I agree with Christina, in that food is a very social thing. I don't ever cook elaborate meals for myself, I'll only cook something special if there are people to share it with.
ReplyDeleteHere's a phrase my dad uses sometimes -the greatest thing since sliced bread
For me food is a huge part of my life. I think we take it for granted and are used to the convenience of getting food when we are hungry, and also having more decisions of what to eat than we could ever imagine. Personally for me food has been paying the rent as I have worked mostly only in fast food including Penn Station and McDonalds.
ReplyDelete