Growing up, my family in New York consisted of close friends my mom had when she first came to the States. It never felt any different than having a family who was blood-related because we were all Peruvian. One of the ways we all share our culture is whenever we get together and have a barbeque. Typically, my mom’s friends would organize it on a sunny day. It was almost always on the weekend because nobody was working. The barbeque would sometimes be held to celebrate someone’s birthday or to hold a reunion and connect. The most memorable barbeques for me was at my godmother’s house because I’ve attended several since I was a baby. Whenever she held a barbeque, everyone had to do their part in preparing the food. That meant that people to bring homemade dishes to her backyard, or it meant that they had to help in her kitchen. My family would serve the usual. My family would always serve meat; whether that be beef, pork, or chicken, you would never miss the delicious smell when arriving. A personal favorite of mine, papa a la huancaína, would be beside the meat at the serving table. Essentially, you would take boiled potatoes and salad and pour huancaína sauce on top of it. It was soft and spicy cream that would make the dining experience much more enjoyable. Next, you’d find rice besides papa a la huancaína. On most occasions, it would be white rice. Sometimes it’d be green rice with chicken. It got its green color and taste from cilantro, onion, and garlic. Small pieces of carrots and peas would be in the rice to add more to it. Lastly, my cousins and I would get to drink Ginger Ale or Inca Cola soda while the adults drank beer. Although the menu on what there was to eat at a barbeque change, the ones most recognizable to me are the ones that hold more significance for my family and me.
4 thoughts on “Food Memory”
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Hey Lorraine, I love how you brought up this memory in a more summer type of seasonal vibe. I can relate to you as well, because in my family, we also have many barbeques in the warmer weather and we also have each family member bring their own thing whether it’s meat, a dish, etc. I enjoy barbeques like you and it’s something I always look forward to in the summertime. Do you sometimes help on the grill? Do you also have hot dogs and hamburgers at your family barbeques?
Hey Lorraine, I enjoyed reading your story, and thank you for sharing it. I like how you explained this tradition that your family has and the activities you do when you reunite with friends and family. I also liked how you described your favorite food out of the whole barbeque. Although I am not Peruvian I always like to try new dishes. Maybe next time I go out to eat (when corona is over) I will try some Peruvian food and get that dish. I could relate to your story because I also have a traditional family gathering every summer. We do this to celebrate the start of summer and to catch up with friends and family. Therefore, events like this are very meaningful to me because I get to talk to my cousins that I have not seen in a long time. Two questions I have are: Why is that dish meaningful to you? And Have you ever help contribute to the barbeque?
Lorraine, I liked how you made your food memory in a seasonal type of way, describing the summer because I can relate to your food memory during the summer. This is because most families, including my own, go outside during the summer to grill food. My family and myself like to eat outside during the summer because it allows us to bring any food we want. How much do you enjoy grilling outside? What types of food do you eat outside?
Hey Lorraine,
I liked how you mentioned how your mom does barbeques only on the weekend. My family also does the same thing due to everyone being busy with work on the weekday. I also liked how you mentioned family members helping your mom prepare the food, my aunt would usually come over and help my parents grill the food.
Some questions I have are, how often do these barbeques usually take place? Also, what is your favorite drink during these barbeques?