A Korean delicacy born out of necessity. The microwave beeps an urgent symphony of pulses. Out comes the plastic packet that, once peeled, wafts the sweet smell of white rice. Placed on the table, the rice sits lonely, a blank canvas waiting for more. But, aha! Lifting the lid of the light wooden box reveals two bright …
Indian Food and Multicultural Identity. My grandmother is the Indian matriarch of a mixed race family. Like many mixed kids, I am often faced with questions like, “What are you?” “Where are you from – no like where is your family from?” While this can be frustrating, I take great pride in my family history …
What do you do when you don’t have access to the foods that bring you joy and connect you to the people and places that feel like the most authentic you? Language, customs, and food are integral parts of people’s daily lives, so when a new college student leaves this daily norm and enters an …
One of my earliest and recurring memories is driving up north to my grandma’s house in Skokie, IL, where she would welcome my parents and me into her beautiful home with a small kitchen and large windows overlooking the backyard. It is there that I would spend many of my days watching TV, chatting, and …
Humans love cast iron. I’m no exception. I learned to cook in my dad’s inherited skillets, their weight challenging my child strength. He taught me how to clean them, to never use soap, and to fully dry the pans, lest they rust. I used a knife on one, scratching up the bottom without realizing, but …
I come from a Chicken Crispers family. Are they basically chicken tenders? Yes. Even so I prefer Chili’s Honey Chipotle Crispers to the other menu offerings, as does my mother. My brother prefers the plain Crispers, one of the only things he likes to order other than a grilled cheese. Over the years I have …
I worked at a restaurant for three months during a too-hot summer in Brooklyn. It was the summer after my first year of college, and I had returned home part-adult, part-child. I knew the restaurant and owner from growing up a block away, the staff knew my parent’s names and our orders without asking. The …
Dear Perfect Hot Dog, What is it about you that makes you such a staple to people’s identities, including mine? I have always been such a fan of yours, and all your different variations. Some of my earliest and current favorite memories regarding school, friends, and family strangely relate to hot dogs. It’s silly to …
The first time my mom cooked Huauzontle there were many reasons why I did not want to try it. First of all, it did not look very appetizing. It looked like a red plant wrapped in something yellow that looked like an egg. Something else that threw me off was the fact that I was …
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Pub and Bar Culture in the U.S. and U.K. When I turned 21 last December while at home in Portland, Oregon for winter break I was thrilled for my first (legal) experience out on the town and excited to finally graduate into adulthood. A group of friends and former coworkers in their late twenties and …
