Cooking: How Integral Is It To A Person’s Identity
We all have different relationships with cooking in our lives– some people know how to make the home-cooked food of their ancestors, while others have grown up on frozen meals from the grocery store. Food tells a story about people and who they are– it is an integral part of many people’s identities, and the way they see themselves.
Personally, I’ve been cooking for as long as I’ve been able to stand on my own two feet, beginning with simple dishes that my mom guided me through and leading to my more adventurous style of cooking now. Cooking, for me, is something that can both reinforce something familiar as well as open new doors and opportunities for me. When I need comfort and familiarity, I turn to dishes from my family cookbook. These are dishes I’ve made so many times that I know them like the back of my hand. Some of the recipes aren’t even written down— they are ingrained in my memory. When I have a craving for a new dish, I open one of the many cookbooks (at this rate, I’d say I collect them!) that sit in my room and decide to try my hand at something different. Cooking is a passion, a hobby, and even an escape for me. I cook when I’m happy, when I’m sad, and sometimes just because. It’s as automatic for me as reading and writing. My camera roll is full of food pictures— both my own and other dishes that fascinate me. My food and my creations forge my identity– and when I realize the lack of appreciation some people have for food and the culture it holds, it saddens me.
America and its people tend to have a dismissive attitude towards food– especially towards food that they don’t think is familiar or, dare I say, “normal.” New and different food is a cause for concern, or even disgust– how many times have you heard kids at school say “ew” to any food that isn’t a hamburger and fries? How many people have grown up with canned soups and frozen food, and now turn up their nose at home cooked food? And furthermore, how many people dismiss the importance of home-cooked food (especially from other cultures) in general? Food creates community and brings people together. Whether it be friends or family, many of my fondest memories are tied into the experience of cooking, caring for each other, and bonding. Nightly dinners with my family are something that I will miss like crazy when I move away for college. Cooking a dessert every year at Christmas with my friends will always stay a tradition. Making my best friend’s favorite pasta every time she comes over to my house makes me smile when I remember it. Baking madeleines at three in the morning with said friend is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. Food creates memories, and it’s integral to the way my life is now. Aside from memories, I’ve also learned about my friends' cultures and understood their identities more in depth through the food they shared with me. Their dishes became my favorite dishes that I now cook and fondly associate with them.
When other people share their favorite dishes and their own distinctive perspectives on food, it warms my heart, because they’re letting me into their life. They’re showing me a piece of their identity. Everyone should learn to welcome and appreciate other people’s food and the memories and culture linked to that. Through doing that, we learn how to better appreciate each other, even with all of our differences.
