Dancing from Cloud to Cloud

~ Shalmy | INFP | Type 4 ~

[dennybitte]

[tenwordstories]

“Even though I think I’m over you I keep crying.”

Ten Word Stories #575

[poemswords]

[shalmycat]

Cuisine and Culture 2019 - A Reflection by Shelbi Fisher

Ah, Cuisine and Culture. I miss you already. Today marks the final day of the class, and while everyone seems to be pumped about that, I am not. Next to my GU Choir class, this was my favorite class I have taken at the university so far. 

Interterm is truly a blessing, and I am praying it is not taken away. The college is now debating whether or not it’s appropriate to keep the program, and I honestly need two-week crash courses like this one in order to graduate on time. I have three fields of study going for me - digital media, english (in the area of creative writing), and music performance. All have their own in-depth requirements, so interterm gives me the freedom to get more general education requirements out of the way in a quicker manner. 

As you have seen on my other blogs on my Tumblr page, the Cuisine and Culture class taught by legends Deloy Cole and Doug Faulkner invited students to participate in a variety of cultures through food. We traveled to St. Louis for much of our time together to try foods such as German, Italian, Bosnian, Irish, Asian, Indian, and Jewish. For approximately three days, we were in New Orleans, Louisiana, in order to try Cajun, Creole, French, Soul, and Ethiopian cuisines. We stayed in our university’s hometown, Greenville, to try English, Dominican, and various dessert (preparations made by us to share with each other) food. It was all such a great time, and I think I can say I enjoyed learning about how to identify real tea, the history of each of these cuisines and how it came to be as it is now, and seeing it all as in person I could. I can probably say my top three favorite cuisines out of all these included the Italian, French, and Dominican. Although all the foods stuck with me in some way, these particular foods really made me happy. All foods are connected to a particular culture in some way, and it tells the story of that culture in a beautiful way. In a unique sense, we can get a “taste” of culture through food. 

From walking down Bourbon Street at nighttime (that’s an entirely different story, friend) to riding on a ferry on the Mississippi River in the beautiful daylight, New Orleans expresses what it represents in the modern day era. Through the legend Leah Chase and all the many restaurants we attended, New Orleans tells its traditional story and remembers all those who contributed to the creativity and delicious tastes of it. I love the south, so it was a great experience going there and being with my new friends.

Oh, but my group is a different story. When I first came into the class, I was a little nervous. While I did know a select few people in the class, I never held conversations with a majority of them. Questions such as “Who will I bond with?” and “Who will want to bond with me?” entered my mind. It only took a couple days (my shyness, like always, first got in the way), and I was already acting myself and getting comfortable with my so-called temporary family. And boy, it was a great family indeed. Moments like today are always difficult. For interterm last year, I took a class that covered my required psychology general education requirement. The class (including me) consisted of approximately fifteen students, so we all bonded a lot during that two week period. In addition to that, our teacher had us sit in a circle during every class so we could look at each other better and support each other in all our answers. It was an act of friendship and closeness, and I am beyond grateful for that. The class ended, and I was feeling like something was missing. Where were these people I spent so much time with? We all went our separate ways. 

Looking back, I am so grateful for my choice in an interterm class this year. I believe that I am more outgoing now than when I was a year ago. I know it will be different this time around for us because I won’t be afraid to happily say “Hi!” to any of them that may come my way. I even made one good friend from this class that I want to keep in my life forever. It’s crazy how much one short class can impact you. I never imagined this all would happen. 

Cuisine and Culture 2019. Rest in Peace, but never forgotten. Now, please enjoy some of these pictures I took over the course of the class, and thank you for reading. 

[shalmycat]

Irresistible Italian

Ah, the long-awaited Italian cuisine . . . yes, this word is not unfamiliar to me when discussing food. I heard at some point in my life that all the pizza I was eating came from the great place of Italy, but that is not true. Did you know it was originally adopted in Greece? They were the ones who thought of it, and it has been carried on by us ever since. 

Our last steps as a class happened yesterday right before and during this dinner. Before we chomped down, we took a tour through “The Hill” in St. Louis, Missouri, and were given a long and detailed history of how it came to be in the Gateway city. The Hill consists of the St. Ambrose Church (which is both a church and a school for kids), a variety of Italian-based shops, and Italian restaurants. We were escorted and given a tour by a kind man by the name of Sam who works for The Hill and is always happy to tell people the history of the place and introduce them to all kinds of Italian facts. 

During our time here, we stopped by a natural soap shop called Herbaria. It turns out that this is the best soap shop I have ever entered and beats Bath and Body Works by a ton. While Bath and Body Works smells very nice and has a beautiful variety of products, this soap is animal-friendly, doused with real essential oils, and is hand-made by a kind man who happily showed us each of the steps in his soap-making process. The number of oils that he has each have a different effect that comes with them, but they are all used for the greater good. For example, certain essential oils promote a stress-free environment and calm moods, while others have other positive effects on the brain. It not only smells very nice but has these positive effects when applied to the body. The shop’s main business is done online, but there are also many products available in the store. We were each given a free small sample of bar soap in the smell we wanted, and I am very happy to begin trying it out! 

Have you ever heard of the Italian game Bocce? I did not either until just yesterday! I am happy I know about it now because we all were able to form teams and try it out for ourselves. The rules are pretty simple when you get the hang of it. There are two teams (in this case, we had blue and red) and they must battle each other by trying to knock each other’s balls farther away from the single ball around the center of the playing field. 

Once it was dinner time, we all headed over to an Italian restaurant in The Hill in order to see chow down and how a real Italian pizza was made. It was made right in front of us, and it looked so delicious and tasted even better! Along with slices of pizza, we each received baked ravioli, bread and butter, salad, balls of chicken, and a delicious dessert with whipped cream and cherries rolled up together. It was such a great last time with my class and a great time getting to know our personal tour guide for the afternoon and evening. 

References: 

https://explorestlouis.com/things-to-do/neighborhoods/the-hill/

[shalmycat]

Bosnian Blessings

The Bosnian food - one of the best cuisines I have had yet. Yesterday we all shuffled into a St. Louis restaurant named “Grbic” to see how Bosnian food would mix with our taste buds. Prior to trying it out for ourselves, we went to Fontbonne University as well in St. Louis to engage with two professors who are filled with knowledge of the history of this culture and cuisine. We were taught through a video, powerpoint, a map of the Bosnia region and what affected it, and the words of the English professor who welcomed us very kindly into his school. Fontbonne University is also home for the Bosnia Memory Project. In this mission, the story of Bosnian survivors of the genocide is spread out so that funds may come in and so that they may have a voice. 

Further elaborating on the project at the university, St. Louis is the site in which many Bosnian people moved to after the war occurred. They are spread out all over the community of St. Louis and have brought their traditions through food to this beloved city. I am thankful they chose St. Louis as their safe site because their food is delicious! I was so impressed by it and I think it is a win-win situation for these people to have come here. They were able to escape the effects of the war, and we were able to get to know them better and put ourselves in their shoes through their traditions. 

We were served delicious Cevapi sausage links, pieces of bread with butter on top, a delicious crepe Nutella dessert named palacinke and more. Everything I got was spicy-free, so I was thankful for that. One food item we had looked just like mac-n-cheese but did not taste like it, and I am not upset about that. Our reddish-brown meat portion of the cuisine reminded me of a type of roast beef that my dad used to make for me as a kid, so that taste was happily familiar. After I ate the dessert, I knew it reminded me of something but could not think about what exactly that was. The reason I did not know is because of how our waiter called it bread with a “hazelnut spread,” but I realize that that is the legitness of what Nutella is. It was very good, and I was very impressed. 

Now, let us get to more information on the war. It kind of reminds me of Hitler’s mindset because the teachers described it as persecution against a certain race - in this case, Bosnians. There was a lot of prejudice going on and they knew they needed to get out of the mess if they were going to survive it all. The event in which they were fleeing to St. Louis actually happened close to the beginning of the 2000′s, which is quite recent when compared to other major well-known wars. The video we watched together was a part of the beloved Bosnia Memory Project as they collect personal reflections from survivors so that the community is made of aware of what happened. At the university, there is a class taught so that the students are given the knowledge they need about this subject. 

It is always tough listening to the tragic events of war in general, but it is something we must all be aware of. It is the world we live in, and it is our duty to help others when they need it. We are to give what we can, and I am thankful that St. Louis has done exactly that and that Fontbonne University’s project is only one of the many ways to get the word out there. 

References: 

https://www.fontbonne.edu/academics/departments/english-and-communication-department/bosnia-memory-project/ 

https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/restaurants/st-louis-bosnian-food-capital-america-restaurants

http://www.grbicrestaurant.com/menu/

[shalmycat]

Tasty Indian Food

Yesterday, my class attended Mr. Curry’s restaurant in Edwardsville, Illinois in order to try out Indian food. The word “Curry” actually relates to the topic of spicy food in this culture, so I wonder if this is the main reason it was named this way. Our server was super delightful and nice and it was great to get to know him and his son (who also works at the restaurant) a bit. This small place was very welcoming and I liked the vibe I got from it. We all fit perfectly in the small space at all the tables and enjoyed some Indian music on the television screen for background noise. 

The foods we tried out were chicken masala, chicken korma, tandoori chicken, naan bread, lamb, and rice pudding. We were also given a challenge by our waiter if we wished to accept it: there were options of sauces to put on our plate. The red sauce had a deep spicy tang to it, but the green was not that spicy. My table received an old-fashioned pot that held water in it, and I thought that was a cute addition to the scene. Old fashion items can be truly beautiful. Alongside our water, we had choices of chai tea or mango smoothies, so I chose the smoothie. I thought almost all of the food had a spicy touch to it, but that could also be just because of my super low spice tolerance. 

I realize that the Indian culture has a lot of chicken involved with it. My main question for each of the meat-eating cultures I have encountered is this: What are the statistics for vegans or vegetarians there? I also want to learn more about how a particular culture makes the decision to be a meat-eating colony overall or a vegetarian colony overall. I know history has a lot to do with it, but I wonder how some traditions or actions are kept throughout time. 

I think my favorite thing I have learned about India through my research is the fact that it is so diverse. Languages of pretty much all kinds are there, and there is no one set language that everyone must know. 

Since India is so diverse in different depending on where you go when you are there, there is no set order for food in the country as a whole. Different religions dictate what followers may or may not eat, so this is a big reason why nothing is set in stone for the entirety of it. The Hindu religion is held by over seventy percent of the population, and they have strict rules regarding what can be eaten. For example, the book they follow specifically says that beef and pork should not be eaten, so many people who practice this religion will not eat it. There are specific purposes for each religion and why they cannot eat certain foods, and it comes back to fulfillment and benefit in some ways. India comes with a variety of tastes that can be fit for many people, so there are many options available. 

References: 

https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/india-guide#C3

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/indian-food-dishes/index.html

https://minoritynurse.com/hindu-dietary-practices-feeding-the-body-mind-and-soul/

[shalmycat]

Asian Awesomeness

Today my group tried traditional Chinese food at the Joy Luck Chinese Buffet in St. Louis, Missouri, and I can honestly say that these types of foods prove to me time after time that I am too absorbed into my American shell. From what I have experienced in my life, I thought real Chinese food was what you found at an ordinary restaurant buffet. However, even though there is food for the numerous buffet options, it does not automatically make it Chinese food. As my friend put it today, “It is Chinese food with an American touch to it. It is the American version.” I loaded up my plate with french fries, fried donuts, chocolate pudding, mini cake slices, and egg rolls. Honestly, I felt a little ashamed of myself for going to a Chinese restaurant with the goal of trying a full meal of traditional food and instead submitting to the Americanized buffet.

The fact that the buffet is there and includes some American things actually raises questions for me. In China, is it common to find American food? Have the Chinese adopted some of it as their own? How do Chinese chefs feel about serving American food in their Chinese restaurants? Seeing how different the Chinese culture is from my own, I really wonder how these people perceive us. Do they look at our food and think to themselves, “Wow, this stuff is really different.” I also wonder if there are classes that are offered to students in China that allows them to travel around as we are to try different cuisines. Is the American cuisine well known down there and is it studied at all? 

I will say that the way real Chinese food is prepared is way different than that of American food. To start, we had actual heaters built into our tables. When our servers brought out the food, they placed the pots on the burners and turned them on. Almost at once, the juices inside the pots bubbled and filled with heat. We were given a pair of chopsticks and numerous options for food and were instructed to place the food we wanted to eat in these bubbling juices. Waiting for approximately two to three minutes for each item to be soaked, everything was ready to be eaten. Our three meat choices included lamb, pork, and beef. They all came out in raw form, so the soaking process is very necessary in order for it to be healthy to eat. 

Even when I was doing my research on Chinese food and culture, I did not run into the fact that there were heaters built into our restaurant tables. Usually, at any other restaurant, the waiters do not bring out the food until everything is already hot and ready to go. I tried eating with chopsticks, but I failed at it. As soon as I tried to break them apart from each other, I accidentally broke them in half instead. I tried my friend’s pair, but I was unsuccessful at the movements in order to have a firm grip on the food. I am happy that I at least tried, though. I used silverware for the rest of my meal, so I am grateful that the chefs are thoughtful about how some people may not be as experienced in using them.

We have a friend in our group that is from China, so he was able to guide and direct us about how the culture is and how to use chopsticks. He commented that the food that was brought out first was very traditional, so he was impressed in that area. 

References: 

https://travelfreak.net/traditional-chinese-food/

[senseitive]

one day you’ll wake up at 9:30am on a Sunday w the love of ur life and you’ll make some coffee and pancakes and it’ll all be alright

[weloveshortvideos]

[painstation-deactivated20181026]

@chiiip

[shalmycat]

Ethiopian Exchange

My time at the Ethiopia restaurant in the East Riverside part of New Orleans, Lousiana was something that was memorable. My favorite thing about my time there was not the cuisine itself; it was the fact that we all ordered something different and shared it amongst ourselves. It is a fact that Ethiopian meals are never eaten alone but always shared with other people. Also, Ethiopians only eat with their right hands and wrap food in a piece of grain (called injera). Utensils are not a prominent part of the meal, but eating with the hands is. 

My group collaborated on the different foods everyone would want to try since we would be sharing it together. I, in particular, cannot tolerate a lot of spices, so I asked for us to not get many spicy foods. I can say that there was only one spicy part of the platter, so I was able to eat most of it. 

Our food was brought out to us on a silver, circular platter with our foods on top of a piece of circular injera. More rolled up injera came in a basket for all of us to unfold and begin eating with. I ordered the Derek Tibs, and I can say that that was a great first impression to Ethiopian food. To my surprise, the lamb was sweet. I was expecting there to be a firmer and saltier texture to it, but it turned out pretty sweet. There was one food item that had a mushy texture to it and tasted like broccoli. I liked how smooth this food was because I would honestly rather eat that than regular broccoli. 

I had a full tummy pretty quickly, but my friends kept devouring the huge plateful of food. I was surprised at how much they could eat, but when food is delicious, it is hard to stop. While we ate, we enjoyed background music of the Amharic language. I could tell that the culture is different from the American way of life not only by the food and how to eat it, but also how the people danced in the music videos and how they were being represented. Each culture has its expression, so it was enjoyable to watch their movements and actions on the screen. 

I am surprised that I have never heard about the culture of Ethiopia before, but I am glad I learned about something so interesting and different. I would like to try more Ethiopian food sometime in my life and order something that none of us ordered at the restaurant that day. I had no idea how I would like the Derek Tibs when I ordered it, but it turned out to be very delicious and appealing to me. I would do it again with a different option if I could, but unfortunately, New Orleans is so far from me. 

Ethiopia culture itself fascinates me. it is one of those cultures in which I feel as if I am in a dream because of how creative and beautiful it is. It is a culture in which I would love to visit in person and learn more about. I do not think I will learn the language in this lifetime, but I would just love to experience it beyond the food in order to learn more about it. 

References: 

https://migrationology.com/ethiopian-food-guide/

http://www.selamta.net/culture.htm

[shalmycat]

Dominican Deliciousness

The Dominican Republic - where families gather, hospitality shows, and food is important. I was so thankful to be able to go to a home that was willing to host my class for the dinner tonight. I am not a fan of rice, broccoli, or even bananas, but the Dominican Republic has a way of spicing these items up to make them into something delicious. Not only is the making of the food interesting, but the way that it is presented and customs that are prompt during dinner time. 

Clothing, a caring heart, gifts, and family is all very important. In the Dominican Republic, clothing determines what class you stand in, a caring heart invites heartfelt connections with others, gifts show thanks, and family is a number one priority. One specific fact that got my attention was the fact that Dominicans are much more relaxed about time than Americans are. I grew up in a culture that is strict on time. I must be on time for my appointments, classes, meetings, work days, etc., but they are much more flexible with things. Now, this is not to say that some things are set in stone and strict, but most things are rather relaxed. Dinner occasions, like the one I went to tonight, usually start about a half an hour after the scheduled time. If someone says “the party is at 7:00 p.m.,” they really mean “it is all going to start around 7:30 p.m.” It is interesting to learn about how the mindset is different down there, and I am actually interested in traveling there one day just to see and fit in with the way of life and how it all works. 

The term “platano” means “banana” in English. Dominicans have had creative minds to experiment with this type of fruit since it is so abundant in their culture. Tonight, we were served a type of cooked platano dish that reminded me of the taste of fish. It works great with ketchup, and kind of looked like a round french fry when I combined it with that! We also had orangish looking rice, and that was my absolute favorite part of the cuisine. Rice is also an abundant dish in the DR, so I suspected that we would be having it. It was a great time of dining and coming back to my group after a full day of not seeing each other and getting to learn from a native-born DR resident how his culture works. 

I think if I were to live in the Dominican Republic, it would take me a while to get accustomed to the food but would have excellent benefits on my health. I am so used to deep fried American food that can make my health suffer, and once one gets into the habit of eating that type of food day in and day out, it is extremely hard to break. But I can suspect that my Dominicans are healthy because of the way they prepare and grow their food and stick to their customs. After examining other ways of life, I think Americans need to have some change in their diet if they do not already. 

I can see that the hospitality aspect of the culture is very true because our host wanted us to each introduce ourselves to him and tell him a bit about our lives. It was nice watching him make conversation with us and we each told him what we are studying and where we are from. I think this is one of the most heartfelt cultures there is, and that is what makes it so special. 

References: 

https://diningforwomen.org/customsandcuisine/customs-and-cuisine-of-the-dominican-republic/

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/21-dominican-republic-dishes-and-drinks-to-devour

[shalmycat]

Soul Food is Good For the Soul

Leah Chase is widely known for her love and ability to compose the greatest Creole food around. Her restaurant Dooky Chase is located in the French Quarter area in New Orleans, Louisiana. Not only was the food very different to my taste, but the environment itself was very friendly and welcoming and loving. Leah herself is now approaching her late 90′s, and she had time to come speak to us. I was ecstatic about this because I knew that a 97-year-old would have much wisdom to give to each and every one of us, and she sure did share it! She stated that it is important to eat the food of other cultures in order to learn about them. When traveling places, it is important to try new and cultural food items and not settle for what you are used to. That was so important for me to hear especially because I have a tendency to do this everywhere I go. I remember one time I was at a Chinese restaurant and ordered the traditional American cheeseburger instead of all the other options I could have had. Everyone at my table adapted themselves to the culture at hand for the moment, but I stuck to what I was so familiar with and so used to. Leah’s words hit home for me and reminded me of the sole reason I took this class: to not only eat food but to get myself out of my comfort zone. She has lived the full life and I knew that her wisdom would not be in vain. 

The term “soul food” can be confusing to many people. It is not like what we think of when we hear Chinese, Indian, Asian, Cajun, etc., but the term “soul” really raises questions. The historic African American cooking is credited to the meaning behind this term and the fact that the Deep South had many food cultures combined. This all was inspired during the time of the Great Migration, so it is important to learn about what African Americans cooked in that era in order to further understand the use of the term. This was also the time in which black people were facing prejudice and mistreatment because of their race. Soul food, in a way, makes me think that this type of food was named so that African Americans could be known and that they are human beings that can make marvelous creations as well as anyone else. It was possibly a way for their identity to be rooted in it so that they would be known to express themselves more to all people. 

Some soul food includes peas, yams, macaroni and cheese, greens, fried chicken, fish, pork, cornbread, and numerous amounts of desserts. This reminds me of a typical old-fashioned and classic restaurant that allows customers to pick a variety of foods themselves. When I entered Dooky Chase, I did not know that I would be so familiar with the food that was offered to me. It reminds me of my childhood times at my local “Bonanza” restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois where I picked fried chicken and varieties of vegetables. 

I am thankful that Leah started a great restaurant with great people. Her daughter currently works at the restaurant, and even though Leah is not walking anymore, she still shares her words of wisdom. 

References: 

http://dish.allrecipes.com/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-soul-food/ 

[shalmycat]

Delicious French Beignets

The New Orleans beignets are certainly a classic, and not trying them during your trip would certainly be a loss. The delicious pieces of bread that are dipped in powdered sugar make the perfect late-morning snack or breakfast. I wish there were more that came in a single order! If you are on a diet, you should know that these are fried. But they are so worth putting your diet on hold. The way I look at it is this: How often will I come to New Orleans? Probably not so much, so I want to have them while I can. There are plenty of places in New Orleans where you can get these delicious treats, but the one that I went to was the Cafe Du Monde right by the Mississippi River. In my last blog post, I wrote about the Acadians and how they influenced the development of Cajun food. This same group of people influenced the classic beignets! Just think, without the Acadians, what tradition would New Orleans have? I wonder if it would be anything close to how delicious everything I tried was. The Acadians should see how prosperous all their influences are today and how they are rightfully credited for it all. 

The original Cafe Du Monde goes as far back as 1862. It was located in the French Quarter and could be spotted by its green awning. The name “beignet” was not always the name of these fried doughnuts; on the contrary, they were literally referred to as “French Market doughnuts.” Now, Cafe Du Monde continues to carry out these traditional treats to everyone who stops by. They are almost always open and serving many people a day. When I was there, it was super busy, and we all had to get in line pretty quick. I enjoyed mine around 11:00 a.m. and ordered a coffee to top it off. We were accompanied by a couple of birds who flew in and enjoyed the view of all the customers. My food and drink were gone pretty quickly, and before I knew it, my friends and I cleaned up and headed out to tour some of the widely-known and historic city of New Orleans. 

It was a pleasure being at the edge of one of the parts of the Mississippi River. The view was lovely, the birds were chirping, the boats were on the water, horses were directing carriages, and there were people everywhere. Some were like my group; taking pictures and enjoying the moment while it lasted. Some were like usual residents of that area; walking to where they needed to be, not paying much mind to the city itself. I guess after living there a while, one will forget the beauty of what surrounds them. I want to live in the south because of the vibe I get when I am there, but that is one of my deepest fears doing so. What if I start to overlook everything after a while of living there? What if I start to not appreciate what is around me because I am so used to seeing everything? I want to truly live there and respect the history that has made the south what it is. The facts are truly fascinating, and one of these is learning about why specific food is there. 

New Orleans has a big “French” touch to it if you have not noticed. There is the French Market, French Quarter, Cafe Du Monde, and more. Other French foods that are found here that I have not talked about yet include po-boys sandwiches, banana fosters, muffulettas, red beans and rice, New Orleans king cakes, New Orleans pralines, and snowballs. Even if you are not into this kind of food, you will probably be surprised at how good it is and how different it is made down there. There is a special touch of flavor in everything, and that is another reason I wish to move to the south. 

Resources: 

https://gambinos.com/new-orleans-food/powdered-sugar-pillows-history-beignet/

http://www.cafedumonde.com/beignets

https://www.neworleans.com/restaurants/traditional-new-orleans-foods/

[shalmycat]

A Cajun Seafood Surprise

I want to start off by saying this: I NEVER eat seafood. I have not been able to tolerate seafood for basically all my life. So, when I walked into “Mother’s” in New Orleans, Louisiana (located around Central Business District), I never thought that I would be caught off guard by how good my plate of shrimp, gumbo, and jambalaya was. I also had crawfish, but these three other food items were my favorite. 

I am craving more as I write about this! The south has a way of making food taste way better than foods in the midwest. I tried seafood in my life a few times, and I never jumped on the train that declared it as delicious. But, New Orleans chefs changed my mind about the topic of seafood in general. The taste made me want more and more. The flavors and sauces added to everything was just right, and the white rice inside of some of it added more pleasure to the meal. I usually think of white rice as bland and without a lot of flavor, but it is perfect mixed with this kind of meal. 

Cajun itself comes from the word “Acadian.” There is a long history of how this group of people settled around various southern parts of Louisiana. It makes sense that my class had seafood for dinner on this night because it clearly represents how the Cajuns needed to catch what they ate. They did not have the benefits that we have now with advanced technology and many restaurants, so they had to make do with what they could do themselves. There is a difference between Cajun and Creole food, even though both dishes may seem very similar. The tomato is the main distinction between these two, and Cajun food does not use it. It honestly looked like my shrimp was covered in tomato sauce, but that is not possible since it is the main difference. There was a part of my food that was a little spicy, and one thing I cannot tolerate well is spices. But it was not severe enough to interrupt my experience with it, and I am thankful that I could finish my meal. 

While I dined at Mother’s, I was able to get to know a few more of my classmates. My teacher purposely set each of us up in a group we were not too familiar with. Now, approximately five days later, I am happy to say that we have grown a lot together. We are all in college and going on different roads, but one thing we do get to share in common in this class is the food. There is a vast history with each type of food that we have been and/or are assigned to eat, so it is incredibly important to approach it with an open mind and mouth. Since I am so accommodated to the American way of life, I never gave seafood a second thought. I am happy this class forced me out of that mindset. 

References:

https://freetoursbyfoot.com/difference-between-cajun-and-creole-food/#cajun

https://mulates.com/what-is-cajun-food/

[shalmycat]

The German “Bevo”

Germany. Over my Christmas break, I binged watched a German show that was translated into English. Ever since watching that show, I wanted to learn more about the languages that are spoken in Germany and how the culture is. This class allowed me to do just that and is continuing to expose me to things I realized I have wanted to learn about but never got much of a chance to experience it first-hand until now.

German food items are those in which I cannot exactly pinpoint. The taste is definitely different than what I usually eat. It is cool how I can put myself in the shoes of those who consume this type of food daily, and it makes me think that maybe food really can give us a “taste” of what it is like to live in a certain place.

Das Bevo is located at Bevo Mill in St. Louis, Missouri. The waiters were very welcoming and happy to explain that the restaurant is approaching 102 years old. Of course, with a 102-year-old building, a lot of history is involved. A man once lived there in the upstairs part of the building when he would visit the Bevo Mill years ago. We were given additional background information about the food and the restaurant/home in general. We were free to go upstairs (and there were many stairs), and downstairs to explore, and I realized the upstairs once looked like a lovely home for someone to live in. It is composed of many rooms overlooking the streets of St. Louis running below, and the mill continues flowing freely outside. I think it would be so interesting to be able to be so close to an active mill. The downstairs was quite beautiful as it was decorated with white roses in a vase on a table and a grand piano.

The only three things I received on my plate that I already knew of as an American were the bratwurst, schnitzel, and soft pretzel. The soft pretzel part really caught me off guard because I thought it was only an American thing, but boy, did I enjoy it! They are called “brezeln” there and are pretty popular with mustard as a dipping sauce. I have always liked mine with cheese, and personally, I would rather have my mustard only on other food items. It turns out the schnitzel is not rare in Germany, but first, it was picked up in various places from Austria. As for the bratwurst, it is one of my favorite foods cooked on the grill at a cookout. I have always enjoyed mine with mustard and ketchup, and it turns out that Germans usually do the same! I guess we have more in common when it comes to food than I thought.

Eating food like this is a great way to dip your toes in other cultures without spending money on plane tickets and a place to stay once you are there. It is as if Germany came right to you!

References: 

https://www.wildjunket.com/traditional-german-food-what-to-eat-in-germany/

[shalmycat]

A Taste of Slavery

The Passover Seder is honored by Jews in the month of April each year. Exodus explains that Jewish people faced slavery in Egypt, so the Seder meal allows each person to remember those that were there and to walk a mile in their shoes. It is not only a time of reflection but also a time of feeling. For example, the maror’s purpose is not to taste good, but to literally taste bitter. The person eating it can taste the bitterness of slavery through this one item. It is a time of reminiscing and never forgetting the hardships that were endured in Egypt. 

The Seder is followed through with the Haggadah, which recounts the story we find in the Torah. It acts as a script to the events as they happen so that the entire congregation is attentive to the events in the ceremony. The Haggadah book is not in the order many people would think, however. Page one starts from the back of the book and progresses to the front to reflect how the Hebrew language is set. 

Each food and drink partaken upon has a special meaning to it. There is nothing in the ceremony that does not reflect something - everything is done out of remembrance, reflection, and feeling. Even though we were not alive when it happened, Jewish people want to put themselves in the place of those who were enslaved so that they may connect with their ancestors from long ago. 

The ceremony goes like so (participants should wash their hands prior to the ceremony): reciting the Kiddush, washing certain foods in water, eating the karpas, breaking the matzah, reading the Haggadah, drinking wine (or grape juice as a substitute for the younger ones), washing the hands over blessings, eating the matzah, eating the maror (bitter herbs), eating the korech, eating the shulchan orech (the feasting part of the ceremony), eating the afikoman, reciting the “Grace After Meals,” reciting the Hallel, and reciting the words “Next year in Jerusalem” in the Hebrew language. 

The last part of the ceremony is not the only part that is said in Hebrew, however. When I visited the Jewish Federation of St. Louis yesterday, our teacher recited many parts in the language. Our Haggadah books all had the English translation in it, but it was also interesting hearing her say it in another language. I can tell that she has been a devoted Jew for a while because she could say the words both fluently and quickly, without hesitation. Her heart for the Passover Seder was clearly shown through her actions and words, and she was able to express that love even more by explaining it to us. I am thankful that I got to experience what it is like for Jews to literally taste bitterness with the similarity of slavery in mind. Even though it was very hard for me to continue chewing because of the bitter taste, I myself am reminded that the point is not for that item to be tasty. This all means something so much more, and I think personally being there to try everything out instead of just learning it from a book helped my knowledge of this culture. There is so much more to the ceremony than the eye sees. 

My group was able to get a taste of the Jewish culture early. The lesson was organized specially for us to fit it in the course. Part of being a Christian means listening to others and gaining an understanding of why certain traditions are carried out. I am happy I got to learn more about the Jewish culture and why they do what they do. 

References: 

https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/1751/jewish/What-Is-a-Seder.htm