Author Archives: ALEXANDER PENA

The podcast I listened to was about expanding the business of insect eating and making it more normal to eat in different parts of the world. The podcast started as an interview, asking a chef that works in the edible insect business and a woman who’s also passionate about this business. These two people seem really passionate about this, preaching about the environmental benefits that come from the edible bug business. Some of the dishes served in their restaurant are bug soups, bug burgers, tarantula donuts, and more. Insects are full of nutrients and helpful to the planet but when you ask most people about this, they will react in a negative way. One of the people being interviewed also said that society has put it in our mind that eating insects is gross so thats why people have their minds made up even before they try it. The visual apperance of the food you’re eating is a big part of enjoying the meal so these people do their best to make the insects visually apperance to the consumers. I would recommened it to the class because it’s insightful and something new but I felt grossed out listening to the foods they were describing. This podcast didn’t raise any questions for me because it’s not something that I will ever willingly eat.

A refreshing, full of taste, and easy to eat fruit always hits the spot. I prefer my grapes to be seedless so that I can eat 6 at a time and not worry about swallowing twelve to fifteen seeds. Grapes come in different colors: red grapes, green grapes, purple grapes, and even black grapes. Red and purple grapes are usually sweeter than green grapes which are usually sour and thicker to bite into. To me, grapes are a form of healthy candy. When I go into my room, late at night to escape everything that’s around me, when there’s grapes in the house, I always take the same green bowl we bought in Target to put the grapes in. I take the grapes out of the refrigerator, I like them cold, and wash them first. Then I take off all the stems that the grapes hang on to and put them inside of the green bowl. I then grab a cup of water to go and that’s my late night snack. The taste of the first grape is like a volcanic explosion of flavor in your mouth. The feeling that comes with a sweet and cold treat is like no other. The happiness that flows through my body after I eat the first handful of grapes is something unique. The first time I ate a grape was when I first came to America. I was more of a candy and junk food type of person, but when I ate my first grape, my whole perspective changed. There it was, a healthy alternative that had the exact same effect as eating a skittle or a jolly rancher. The smooth skin layer on the outside of the grape combined with the juicy burst of flavor inside of the grape makes the whole experience complete. I recommend you take a handful of seedless, fresh grapes and just eat them all at once. You would have discovered what a true healthy snack really is. It’s sweet, juicy, smooth, delicate, and full of flavor. I recommend that after a stressful day at school or work, you end your night with a bowl of grapes instead of ordering takeout or McDonald’s and waking up with an upset stomach. I recommend eating grapes if you want to feel the same joy and happiness that me and the people of the Middle East experienced 6000-8000 years ago. I recommend eating grapes. You won’t regret it. 

A meal from the past that holds a lot of significance and value in my mind came on February 1st, 2023. It was my best friend’s birthday and me and some of our friends went to Buffalo Wild Wings to eat together. It was raining heavy that day and I had been extremely sick the previous week. My energy and morale was low but I still had to show up since it was his birthday. This was the first time we all went out as a group together to eat. This was my first time eating Buffalo Wild Wings in my life so I was excited. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger, with fries, 6 boneless bbq wings, and a strawberry lemonade to drink. Once I started eating and socializing with everybody at the table, I had seemed to forget about being sick and tired. I was having a blast with my entire friend group. There were a bunch of tv’s in the background showing NBA basketball so we all started watching the games as well. This is a core memory that I will always remember.

My name is Alexander Peña. I was born in the Dominican Republic and came to America when I was 5 years old. I first lived in the Bronx from 2010-2012, then moved to Washington Heights where I have lived ever since. I enjoy playing basketball, hanging out with friends, making jokes, and eating food. Since food is such a big theme of our semester, some of my favorite foods include rice and beans with ribs. I love chicken tenders, fries, and a milkshake. I love bacon cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, French toast, pancakes, and many more foods. I love potato salad, grapes, oranges, papaya, and apples. With saying all this, I am still a very picky eater. You will never catch me eating something new or trying something new. I always order the same things, eat the same things, and make the same foods at home. Being picky is something that I am trying to move past from, but it’s difficult to change a habit that I have had my whole life. Some other information about me is that I am the second youngest of 4 brothers. I am fluent in speaking and writing in English and Spanish. I have 2 nephews. I love playing video games- 2k24, Fortnite, Madden, Call of Duty, etc. I am very easygoing and approachable. I am good at keeping conversations going. I consider myself an introvert because I don’t seek out to create new friendships and relationships. I usually wait for someone to come to me. I want to become more of an outgoing person especially now since I am in college. These are just some things about me. The image below is me playing in a basketball game for my high school. Basketball is the thing I love most. I love playing it and watching it. I am a student of the game. Some of my closest friendships formed from playing basketball together.

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