Welcome back! From now on, I'm going to start off each post with a recipe of the week (give or take) before actually delving into the meat of the post that I would encourage you all to try at home. First off, I made these cookies for my swim sister for our meet this week, and they turned out great! Instead of salt, you use 3/4 cup of crushed potato chips! How weird, but still solid cookies.
In my English class, we began reading the novel The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, generally about this family from the bible belt who moves to the Congo in the time of the Belgian's rule. During this time in the Congo, and still today, food is limited in most of the country. According to the book, the Congolese rely on a food called fufu from the manioc, or cassava plant. Fufu is a thick, pasty like substance with little to no nutritional or substantive value. However, this food is essential to the Congolese diet. In fact, according to the book, it is also essential to the Congolese life. The novel puts it simply, "It is the center of life" (Kingsolver). The cassava plant provides the Congolese in the story with a sense of abundance in times when they have little. In short, fufu is the center of life.
So what food is in the center of our own lives? The center of American life? Do we have a locally grown fruit, vegetable, or any other crop that is vital to our existence? I encourage you to think about this, and how it impacts you.
In my case, I am lucky enough to have an immense variety of food at my disposal, and my own life does not revolve solely around one all powerful food. However, it is still interesting to hear how food influences other cultures and their own ways of life.
So think about what food is the center of your life.
Peace out, and rock on.
My food life tends to centre around a certain food chain restaurant. It's called Noodles & Company. I'm not sure if you've ever been there. It's amazing though.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Katie that I also enjoy Noodles & Company and although I do not require it to live I often center excursions around the prospect of eating Noodles! Another perspective to consider is farming. Farmers have centered their life around food for a different reason than consumption but do consume their food as a staple. In particular I am thinking of the Lays Potato Chips commercial (connection to the recipe?!?) which shows farmers and their love of potatoes. You may have never seen it seeing as you don't really watch TV but I think you'll get the gist of it. Anyways may I suggest you get a picture it would really "spice" up the post.
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