English 2150 Spring 2024: Setting the Table

I recommend having peanut butter noodles with flat meat soup. Peanut butter noodles made with fresh noodles, mixed with ground peanut sauce and soy sauce, topping it off with spring onions and flat meat made with scallions, and a small bite’s worth of pork filling inside a thin wonton or dumpling wrapper a type of cuisine that originated in Fujian, China. If you ever encounter this dish, make sure it is the same as the one mentioned here because in other restaurants there are different recipes for making it, and they may add other sauces or spices to elevate the flavor. The people who invented it are known, but where it was invented was in Shaxian, in the southeastern coastal province of Fujian. When I was 5 years old, my parents took me to China to see my grandparents. The currency in China was different than in New York, making things in China cheaper than in New York. Where I lived in China is a town part of China, Fújiàn zhǎnglè (福建长乐). There is a little store that serves peanut butter noodles with flat meat freshly made right on the spot, which me and my mom would always get, but if my mom is business, I would cry to my grandma about it. That’s why whenever I have this dish, it always takes me back to having that nostalgic feeling of how I loved it when I was a young boy. The presentation of the dish doesn’t give you that Wow or Wow feeling; it’s just a normal dish of peanut butter noodles with flat meat soup on the side, but when you dig in, that’s where people would say let the food do all the talking because the yummy peanut butter is smooth, having a little bit of sweetness and salt caused by the soy sauce plus a little crunchie feeling. If it’s too savory, you can fix it by having the flat meat soup, making it the best combo. This specific dish is a part of me because of where it is from since I am half Chinese and come from the same place where the dish is from. It is part of a relaxation and nostalgic feeling of my childhood in China, which I hold dear because during all this eating were the days that I saw my grandpa for the last time before he passed away. In a way, it is like a piece of memory of him.

Wontons are pretty great. Originating from China, these little pocket-sized wrapped meats are a culinary delight that brings me a comfort I imagine people find in soul food. I mean really there’s no one strict appearance for wontons, they can come in any shape, size, and have any meat-based filling. The ones I grew up eating are pork-filled, while you might find shrimp filling in other regions of China. There are also various ways to enjoy wontons. Cold day outside? Wonton soup. Craving something crunchy? Fried wontons. Want something between the two? Pan-fried wontons. Each cooking method has its unique texture that synergizes with the flavor of the wontons. I first had wontons in the form of soup. There will be people up as early as sunrise going around street by street selling their homemade rice buns and wonton soup. They would have a bell to ring instead of yelling to grab people’s attention. My mom would always buy a few buns and a few bags of wontons. We’d then pour them into bowls, add a little rice vinegar, and enjoy the sweet and sour broth. If you’re gonna have wonton soup, you NEED to add rice vinegar to the soup. Rice vinegar and wonton soup go hand in hand like cold water on a hot sunny day. 

Now you might be asking: “Where can I get these culinary wonders?” To that, I say amazing question. You can find wontons in the frozen foods section in any Asian supermarket. They’re fully good to go when you buy the premade ones, but a huge part of wonton culture is to make them as well. Get yourself some rice wrappings, and buy yourself some ground pork, shrimp, or whatever filling you prefer eating. Now it’s time to get to work, pour in those fillings into a bowl, add your favorite seasonings (mine is sesame oil), scoop a little spoon full of filling, and lay it in the center of a rice wrap. Then dip your fingers in some water and apply it on the perimeters of the rice wraps as if you are enclosing an envelope. Finally, you fully close the rice wrap by matching the edges together and squeeeeze, sending that envelope straight to flavor town. All you have to do now is to find some company, and repeat those steps until you have a few dozen, or use up all your filling. Finally, prepare those wontons to your liking, and enjoy the wonder meal of wontons with a friend, family, or just yourself because I know that you’ll want seconds.

Before you sit down with me grab a knife, something sharp. Bring your family and friends we have enough for all of them. Let me cut this representation of a timeless but still golden food. Gather seats around the table, wine and water in cups served like the Egyptian kings and slaves did before us. It’s exterior kissed by the heat of the oven which has an effect on the color. Starting off with the color of gold, like the sun to parts of the bread are black but still edible to eat where the taste is not taken away. Fingertips on it when force is put upon, the music of crunch crunch crunch to your ears. You will regret doing that when you leave the table with bread crumbs all over you. They say, the type of bread you like defines who you are. Is that true? Bread can go with so many things, so many cultures have their own interpretations of bread. With crusts like armor, protecting untold memories ready to be told at the dinner table. The inside reminding me of the stuffing of toy plushes, all cotton, soft like a bed. Exactly the feeling I get from the inside of bread. With the sip of water, the flour melts in my mouth. Depends on the bread of course, there is the bread used to make a peanut butter sandwich. Then the footlong loafs restaurants and fast food places use like Subway. In every part of bread there is a moment where we hold it in our hands while we open our mouths to enjoy. Whether enjoyed fresh from the oven or toasted to perfection, bread is a edible presentation of sharing. When walking to a park and seeing people throw crumbs for pigeons to enjoy. It is never anything else, it is always bread.

How can the creation of something so tasty be an accident. This world should be grateful for that Egyptian back in 6000 BC who left dough in the sun by accident. Bread comes in a spectrum of ways, the french version of bread called a baguette, a curve of soft air bags inside called a croissant, square blocks called white bread. Much more to name however the ending is the same. The flavor of being thankful, something about me eating bread is being thankful for what I have. People take advantage of this while homeless people around the world would die to enjoy it. Do you still have that knife I asked? I want to cut this baguette in half and share with you.

With its carefully balanced combinations of flavors and textures. From what started in ancient Japan to its current global recognition, sushi has won over millions of people’s hearts and palates across cultural divides. I want to take you on a journey of flavor and tradition as I explore further into the world of sushi.

First, let’s talk about the ingredients. Raw or cooked fish, vinegared rice, and a variety of toppings like veggies and seaweed make up a traditional sushi meal. The intricacy of flavors that sushi chefs carefully build with each mouthful lies in the simplicity of these ingredients. With its perfect balance of vinegar seasoning, the rice serves as a perfect base for the other items to take center stage.

But where did sushi first appear? Surprisingly, sushi started out simple as a method of preserving fish in Southeast Asia. It developed into a modern Japanese delicacy over time. Nigiri sushi was invented in the early 1800s by Hanaya Yohei, who paired fresh fish with vinegared rice to make a tasty, convenient snack. 

When I had sushi for the first time, it was a surprise. There was a thrill from the brilliant colors, the careful preparation, and the idea of trying something new that was unmatched in any other culinary experience. I felt a sense of amazement at the old traditions I was about to take in when I picked up my first piece with chopsticks.

Eating sushi is a unique dining experience. With every bite, the buttery texture of sashimi, the delicate crunch of nori, and the tang of wasabi and soy sauce dance on the mouth. Every sushi meal comes with a feeling of mindfulness, a pause to appreciate the skill by which each piece was made.

Sushi has become more than just a meal for me; it’s a way of connecting people around a common love of delicious cuisine and friendship, whether it’s for a formal occasion or a casual lunch date. Adding sushi to my diet has been a delightful and enlightening journey. It’s about accepting a cultural inheritance that crosses ages and continents, not just about the act of eating. Every sushi encounter I have, whether it’s the thrill of trying a new roll or the comfort of going back to a beloved restaurant, strengthens my bond with this culinary art form. Sushi has become a part of my life, creating its way into cherished memories and shaping the way I approach food and community. Therefore, I recommend eating sushi the next time you need something unique; it’s more than just food; it’s an invitation to discover the diverse range of flavors and cultures that make life incredibly satisfying.

Hello everyone who is reading this paper. I have a snack that is so delicious and incredibly cheap. I guarantee you that this snack is so cheap that it only requires 2 quarters. The notorious meal that I am talking about is a honey bun. The delicious snack can be found everywhere and definitely in every deli you have ever walked into even though you probably haven’t even noticed that you have but hopefully after this you can stop sleeping on honey buns and their beauty. The importance of this snack is that it has such a unique taste compared to other sweet snacks. The taste is so good that people who hate sweet treats like me love the taste of this sweet treat. Also the idea of its price makes it even better. People who go out might not be trying to waste a lot of money on a snack but with a honey bun it’s so cheap to the point that anyone would buy one no matter how cheap the person is and it’s a really big snack for its prices it’s literally a win for everyone who buys this treat. I discovered this meal from a while ago in middle school. I remember one day me and my friend Martin didn’t have alot of money and we were getting out of school really late and we were starving. Me and martin went to a deli and found this honeybun snack for extremely cheap and luckily we had left over change in our book bags and we put our coins together and were able to save our hunger that night and ever since that day we learned and opened our eyes to how important, tasty and useful this snack can be depending on a starving situation and this was the first to many times a honeybun has saved me from a starving situation. The feeling of eating a honey bun is something that is so satisfying because the taste is sweet but not too sweet and for a really cheap snack it is so filling and would last you a couple hours after eating it. Honey buns are really simple looking. Honey buns literally look like cinnamon rolls and also taste like them. Maybe even better in my opinion. I feel like honey buns play a part in who I am as a person because they are one of the few sweets I like to eat which makes me feel nice and a little bit guilty as a person. The cheapness of the snack also makes my life so easy and it is always there when I am down or in a stressful situation.

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. 

As I sat down to write, a bag of Sour Patch Kids sat temptingly on the desk beside me, its vibrant colors and promise of sour-sweet goodness calling out to me. I just couldn’t resist. With a rustle, I opened the bag and selected my first victim. It was a red one. That familiar sourness hit my tongue, followed by that rush of sweetness that comes right after. It was a moment of pure bliss. As I reached for another, I couldn’t help but ponder at the complexity of this simple candy. Each Sour Patch Kid is a miniature masterpiece, carefully crafted to deliver the perfect balance of flavors. Lime, lemon, orange, cherry and blue raspberry all into one package. The sour coating, made from a secret combination of ingredients, is an accomplishment of culinary engineering, designed to shock and delight. And then there’s the chewiness. Each Sour Patch Kid is soft, allowing you to savor the flavor as it slowly dissolves in your mouth. Its a texture that keeps you coming back for more and more. Besides that, the most remarkable thing about Sour Patch Kids is their ability to transport you back to your childhood with just one bite. They’re a symbol of childhood innocence and joy, a reminder of simpler times when all it took to make us happy was a handful of sugary sweets. I thought back to my own childhood, to the days spent running around the neighborhood with friends, our pockets filled with Sour Patch Kids and our hearts full of laughter. Those were the days when life was carefree and the biggest worry was whether we had enough candy. But even as adults, Sour Patch Kids continue to hold a special place in our hearts. They’re a guilty pleasure, a nostalgic indulgence. Whether you’re sneaking them into a movie theater or sharing them with friends on a summer day, it is an experience that never fails to put a smile on your face. It also has an ability to bring people together, whether it was sharing a bag with friends or offering one to a stranger. These candies had a way of breaking down barriers and creating connections. So, the next time you find yourself in need of feeling better, I urge you to reach for a bag of Sour Patch Kids. Let their sour-sweet goodness transport you back to a time when the world was a little bit brighter and a lot more magical. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

• For Wednesday, February 28th, read Michael Pollan’s article “Power Steer”. Mark three passages (one or two sentences) in the text that seem to you to be interesting, important, or worthy of discussion. Have a hard copy of the article with you in class on Monday, with the quotes you’ve selected identified.

• Using Sam Anderson’s “I Recommend Eating Chips”, create your own “I Recommend…” post and share it to the blog before Wednesday’s class. Your post should be 400- 500 words and should be shared as a new post, not as a comment on this post.  Remember that this piece is an opportunity to be playful and exploratory.   Let curiosity be your guide.  What’s in your chosen food? Where does it come from? Who invented it? How did it find its way to you? What does it look like?  How/where/when did you first encounter it?  What’s it like to eat this food? How does it make you feel? How does it figure into your story, your life, your identity, your routine???  Be creative! If you feel stuck, I suggest doing some Googling to see what interesting things you might learn about your chosen food.  Please share your post on the blog together with an accompanying image (again, feel free to select whatever seems right to you!) by Sunday, March 3rd.

• Revised Drafts are due on Monday, February 19th. Submit your draft by placing it in a Google Docs folder that you have shared with me at [email protected]. The folder should have the name: Your Name English 2150. Your revised draft should be in a file that is named “Personal Narrative – Revised Draft”. I must have a revised draft of your essay to review in advance of your scheduled conference. Your revised draft should be substantially different from the draft you brought with you to class on February 14th.
• No Class on February 19th. College is closed for Presidents’ Day.
• Wednesday 2/21 and Thursday 2/22 – Conferences. You will be meeting with me in your small peer review groups to discuss your Personal Narratives. The purpose of these conferences is to get feedback on your revised draft. You need to have a revised draft in order to attend your conference. These conferences will take place in our regular classroom instead of our regular class. I have posted the schedule below. As you can see, we have a very tight schedule, so please be prompt. Bring a hard copy of your Revised Draft with you to the conference.
• Sunday, February 25th – Finished essays are due! Please follow the instructions on the assignment sheet for naming your file and submitting the essay.
• Please reach out to me via email if you have any questions about any of this or if you want to get any additional feedback or advice about your essays. I am looking forward to our conferences and to reading your essays!

Schedule

Wednesday, February 21st

12:25 – 12:50: Jeff, Arlene, Christopher

12:50 – 1:15: Kimberly, David, Steven

1:15 – 1:40: Zihao, Ramon, Gabriel

1:40 – 2:05: Stephanie, Brandon, Argenise

Thursday, February 22nd

12:25 – 12:55: Alexander, Ayah, Kevin X., Marcus

12:55 – 1:20: Matthew, Kevin G., Helen

1:20 – 1:45: Samin, Angel

One memory that sticks out the most for me is my family going to eat Peruvian food. It would be tradition for us to go to a Peruvian restaurant once a month. It would be even more special when a relative came with us. They would have to be unfamiliar with the menu, as there is a dish called Anticuchos, which is cow heart. When the dish comes to the table, me and my family wait in anticipation for our family members to try it, and after they swallow it, we tell them it was cow heart. I remember my aunt who came from Ecuador tried it and liked it, but once we told her that it was cow heart, she was shocked that she was eating it, but after that came to terms with how good it tasted so. This memory was fun because every time I eat anticuchos now, it takes me back to those carefree days of childhood, and it gives me a sense of nostalgia which I love.