Today we screened Life & Debt. I felt the need to divert from discussing the assigned readings for this week (at least in the classroom), in order to address some of the remarks and writings from last week’s readings/discussions. I felt it was important for us as a collective (studying food in a variety of academic lenses) to begin to dig apart why these narratives matter. Why history matters. Why we need to know how we engage with the rest of the world, and why ontologically it helps to establish at least a shred of human decency when participating in cultures outside of our own.
As Steinberg mentions in his piece “stories are powerful.” How do you think we can use Steinberg’s article to conceptualize or interpret/frame Jamaica’s post-colonial relationship with food there on the island, and the remake in Brooklyn a la Gladys? When we see Lucinda Scala writing a book on Jamaican food and sharing “her recipe” for Jamaican Jerk chicken, we might think of it differently now?
But this is more than just Jamaican Jerk Chicken.
How do we change we have learned once we gain a narrative and a historical reference, to create a story, and later to use that set of research and a newly-developed story, as a pedagogical tool? What did you take away from how the Tenement Museum worked to create a story around the experience of food, race, class, culture, religion?
What would a museum exhibit of your food history project look like? How would you tell the story of your culture? Pg. 82 of Steinberg’s article really helps to guide you into creating a food story – what do you think?
-Dr.B.
ps: there may be another post on Frieburger’s and Wasserman’s pieces. Stay tuned…
February 20, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Who Deserves the Credit? How Narratives Establish an Authentic Reality
First of all, when I first read the reading response guidelines last night, I did not understand at all what was expected of us. Thank you, Wayne Chim for helping me see the big picture so I could use the details of the question to formulate an original answer.
I think that my little introduction relates to our overarching theme of authenticity: how can something be original if “nothing comes from nothing” (to quote Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music)? Credit is always due somewhere – in my case it belongs to a classmate who took the time to explain something difficult for me. In a sense, I have just given whoever reads this response a mini-narrative, a window into a small portion of the thoughts running through my mind on a particular Monday. Big sociological ideas ultimately boil down to how the daily lives of individuals are impacted. This is analogous to inductive reasoning, an idea I learned about in tenth grade geometry. Starting from small facts, larger rules can be determined. This is why narratives are important.
In the video “Life and Debt” the IMF was involved in helping the Jamaican committee representing the country’s farming economy. One banker explained that according to the laws of economics, Jamaica needed to be less dependent on imports, which is why the Fund decided to make foreign money more expensive for Jamaicans. As a result, farmers have higher debts and less capacity to import more goods. This all makes a lot of sense, if you are sitting in a luxurious world bank, where the wood paneling above the entrance announcing your important location costs more than the average Jamaican makes in a year. The people’s narratives reveal a different reality: they are dependent on imports for food and other necessities. Denying them access to such goods does not create an independent economy – it simply increases the misery of the people living under such conditions.
In the article “What We Talk About When We Talk About Food: Using Food to Teach History at the Tenement Museum,” Adam Steinberg remarks: “The ways Italians, Jews, and the Irish changed their eating habits after immigrating to America pointed out that immigrant cuisine was not imported whole” (82). Naturally, foods grown in one climate will not be readily available in a country with differing environmental conditions. Even if foods from the “Old Country” were offered in the United States, maybe they were more expensive or immigrants simply did not have the luxury of spending hours on food preparation given their new economic circumstances. At any rate, cuisine changes when people immigrate.
In the case of the Jamaicans, after winning independence from Great Britain in 1962, combined with the 1973 OPEC oil embargo and continuing global policies which harm local farmers, their economy has tanked to the point that the country relies almost entirely on imported foods. Sydney Mintz described the effects on food when people move without their native foods, or foods move without the natives. Steinberg refers to immigrant cuisines evolving due to a dearth of native food types. However, the Jamaicans have not moved – it is their food which is largely being shipped from abroad.
I think that true food authenticity would be incredibly difficult to achieve because of the ways food moves. Are tourists eating jerk chicken on the beach enjoying an authentic Jamaican dish, if the spices and chicken are not locally grown? In my opinion, food is authentic if there is someone who knows how to prepare it and does not substitute ingredients. The reason immigrant cuisine is not as authentic as it was in the country of origin, is because it is not being prepared the same way. Either foods are not easily obtained or in the new culture, they are considered below one’s dignity to eat – take schmaltz (chicken fat, a staple in Eastern European cooking) or the bugs Chinese people use in their dishes.
For our food project, Rachel Chehova and I plan to research sushi. We have not yet decided whether to include a discussion about kosher sushi when we talk about sushi in New York City. Before we come up with a museum exhibit for our food, we need to settle on the details of the project. Traditional sushi is not prepared with kosher ingredients, so how authentic is kosher sushi? Steinberg writes that as “…Jewish immigrants redefined themselves as cosmopolitan new Americans by visiting restaurants that served cuisines they weren’t familiar with…they also redefined Kosher to include foods that weren’t strictly so” (82). Reading this made me realize that it is possible to open up Kosher cuisine while still abiding by the rules which define a food as kosher or not.
February 21, 2017 at 1:37 am
The contrast of the vacationers’ laughter with the serious local narratives in the film Life and Debt provides a vivid portrait of Steinberg’s remark in his article: “stories are powerful.” The vacationers devour the Caribbean cuisine during a lovely evening, but none of them seems to be aware that the dishes that they are enjoying are made with foods imported from the United States. The film’s narratives reveal the economic crisis Jamaica is facing and how the crisis is affecting the authenticity of Jamaican food. The devaluation of the Jamaican currency and rising interest rates is destroying the agricultural community. The farmers are falling into greater debt and must rely more on imports. However, the IMF tries to reduce the amount of importations, and it only increases the burden on the farmers.
The farmers are facing an increase in the food cost, an unchanging below minimum wage, and competition with international corporations. They cannot do anything; they are helpless. Jamaica is thrown into a state of rising unemployment rate, greater violence, inadequate hospital and education facilities, and more. But this is the side that the vacationers do not see at all. Their visions are clouded by their harmonious state of minds. They do not see struggling, unemployed men and women, but satisfied locals that are relaxing and chatting their days away; they do not see the violence because they are away it; and they do not notice the inadequate facilities because it’s unnoticeable in their quick tour around town.
What if the owners of Glady’s travelled around Jamaica under that state of mind? How can they be certain that they were given the most authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken? They found a stand on a beach, and that sounds like a beach in the higher end districts. It sounds like a setting for vacationers, a place where vacationers can blindly enjoy the beauty of the island without noticing the crisis it is in. With the heavy amount of importations that Jamaica relies on, how can the owners be certain that the ingredients – the chicken and the spices – are grown locally? How can they be certain that the chef that made them the dish did not modify his recipe to fit the taste of foreigners? All of these questions all lead to the point that it is impossible to prove the authenticity of a food dish because of how the world has developed and how cultures have moved around.
The film ultimately demonstrated the importance of collecting narratives for historical reference and personal connection. The narratives collected and shown from the film created a powerful message through guilt and sympathy. As I related to be in the position of the vacationers, I felt guilty for my ignorance. This guilt also built a sense of sympathy and it pushes to learn more about the historical background and current situation through local accounts. For my project, I am researching about pizza. I learned that pizza shares origins in both Italy and China, and that it moved to the United States following immigration. I would hope to be able to collect a narrative that can share with me a compelling story. I was inspired by a point that Steinberg has made in his article: A food experience “is a reminder of what you left behind forever.” Perhaps it could be someone who tasted their mom’s scallion pancakes when they were younger, but when they immigrated to the United States, the closest thing they can find is the pizza.
February 21, 2017 at 5:34 pm
It seems as though many Jamaicans living in Jamaica are for estranged from their own culture. Many of the food items that they consume aren’t homegrown. Most of the food items that they buy are international. So it is like the Jamaican food that they eat are adaptations of the actual dishes. Despite living in the country of their origin. This is similar to what immigrants living in Tenement Buildings had to do when their new world didn’t have the items necessary to recreate their dishes exactly. It is like Jamaicans have become the stranger in their own home.
Therefore I would think that Steinberg wouldn’t appreciate how inorganically the Jamaican cuisine was moved in New York by Gladys. They didn’t seem to a appreciate the way food morphs and changes as it is carried to a new place. Steinberg enjoys seeing the way traditional dishes morphs to fit into the environment. However, Gladys when as far as to import the wood from Jamaica to make their jerk chicken taste as authentic as possible. However, based on Steinberg’s words, this wouldn’t be authentic because it is trying too hard to be Jamaican jerk chicken made in Jamaica when it should really just be Jamaican jerk chicken made in America.
One of the many aims of the Tenement Museum is to show the transformation of traditional dishes of immigrants into “new cuisines.” It places a story behind certain foods that we consider to be pretty American and/or ubiquitous. They place a name and a face to foods that we love in America. Like teaching people that pretzels are German in origin. It allows people to better appreciate the food they eat on a regular basis by giving them the backstory.
Similar to the Tenement Museum’s style, I would think it best to showcase how Nigerian dishes have morphed and changed as it crossed the Atlantic. But in addition, we’ll showcase how items are traditionally made from the ingredients to the tools used to cook them. And how those processes are adapted to fit into the America’s puzzle. This is how I would present my food project in the form of an exhibit. For this way will allow viewers to see that whole picture from the food’s place of origin to its new American home.
February 21, 2017 at 7:15 pm
@j.butler why spend time being puzzled and being faced with a difficult question, when you can just ask me directly?
“First of all, when I first read the reading response guidelines last night, I did not understand at all what was expected of us. Thank you, Wayne Chim for helping me see the big picture so I could use the details of the question to formulate an original answer.” – J. Butler
February 22, 2017 at 2:00 am
@RBernard I think it’s not a bad idea for students to refrain from asking the professor and rely on discussions among themselves regarding what the prompt asks for. It allows for multiple interpretations and opens up a lot of different unique responses.
February 21, 2017 at 9:57 pm
In his piece, Steinberg mentions that “stories are powerful” and I believe that every country has it’s own unique story. Although this is my blog post, I love the way Wayne writes about the inner, hidden struggles of Jamaica that most people don’t see, and how the economy effects the food. Jamaica is a smaller country that needs time to build its economy to flourish. The economic difficulties that the people in the country face are not as noticed by people who come to Jamaica for vacation. Because of its location, Jamaica attracts many tourists; however, the tourists, like the two men from Gladys, don’t necessarily take into account all of the country’s downfalls when they visit. Because of the economic issues, the people of Jamaica may not be able to afford the same ingredients to make their authentic foods, and instead, they must find cheaper, non-authentic dishes to suffice. The tourists being served these dishes will not know if they are authentic or not.
Steinberg also explains that “stories are powerful” through the fact that food means a lot to people. Immigrants use food and specific dishes to preserve their tradition and to pass down the stories of generations and generations of families. Steinberg wants families to be able to cook meals that have a traditional story to them along with rich and tasty flavors, as opposed to foods that are foreign or expensive. When many immigrants merge in a country like America, their cultural and traditional dishes begin to merge as well. Sometimes this merging is bad because it takes away from the authenticity of the original dish; however, sometimes the merging is good because then it becomes its own dish with its own story. An example of this is authentic Chinese food in China versus what we have and call in America “American Chinese food”.
Until this class, I never really thought it was so important that I know all the details about the dish I eat. Now that I am aware of the stories that come with food, I am very excited to proceed to research spanakopita (spinach-pie), which is a very common, well-known Greek food. After doing some research, I learned that our favorite famous Greek philosophers and mathematicians Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato, did not eat spanakopita because spinach was not brought to the Mediterranean until after the time of Ancient Greece. A very important aspect of spanakopita, as well as other foods such as tiro pita (cheese-pie) and baklava, is the filo. The filo is very hard to make, and is probably the most crucial part of the food. Different islands in Greece have different ways of preparing it; however, the best and most authentic spanakopita always has the filo made from scratch as opposed to bought. Now that I am thinking about my food in a different way, I am realizing how powerful the culture of the food really is. Filo made in the villages of Greece is just as important to Greeks as fresh taco shells made in the villages of Mexico is important to Mexicans. Every culture has their own values in food and stories to tell.
February 21, 2017 at 11:44 pm
Through the lens of Steinberg’s article, Jamaica’s post-colonial relationship with food carries a slave narrative as well as a chronic struggle with impoverishment and conflict. Prior to our class discussions and reading assignments, I had, like Asimina, never really looked at food from this standpoint; that food not only served to fill up our stomachs and taste good, but also to bring us together and carry meaning. That we would be able to study and extract value by monitoring the movement of people through the lens of food. This brings me back to last week’s question of authenticity. Authentic food, in my revised definition, is food that was created by people who are part of the narrative behind the dish(es).
In the case of Glady’s, the Caucasian founders merely took a trip to the West Indies and went around learning from various Jamaicans, but what they brought back were recipes without the narratives. The “About Us” tab on the restaurant’s website only talks about the story behind the founders and their lives, not about the Jamaicans. Where is the discussion of the food and recipes’ origins? The discussion of the Jamaicans? Although at first, I did think Glady’s was authentic because the owners tried their best to learn about and authentically replicate soul food, I soon realized that their food really doesn’t carry the true Jamaican narrative behind it. As Wayne mentions in his comment, there was a stark contrast between the “vacationers’ laugher with the serious local narratives…” of the Jamaican people. I feel that the owners of Glady’s can be part of the former group; of the American tourists who are able to travel leisurely and enjoy life while attempting to learn about other cultures. Now that I look at it, they did culturally assimilate Jamaican cuisine, ridding it of its authenticity. With this information in mind, I do think differently of people, such as Lucinda Scala, writing books and sharing their recipes on Jamaican Jerk chicken. These people have never been in their shoes; they have never felt the pain that the locals went through, and thus their food does not carry that deeper narrative and meaning behind it.
I appreciated the extent to which the staff of the Tenement Museum worked to create a story around the experience of food, race, class, culture, etc. I find these efforts particularly important in regards to our current presidential administration. Our president and his team’s anti-immigration rhetoric has energized parts of the conservative voter base, turning them against immigrants. The Museum’s role in reversing the ramifications of this language and attitude can play a huge role in the coming years. Their inclusion of personal narratives and historical references can help create a story which the audience can envision and absorb.
As for the food history project, I am still stuck between kimchi and a Chinese dish. If I go through with the former, I would probably obtain various narratives from Koreans who can, like Steinberg states in his article, bring a unique understanding of food as it relates to, in this case, the Korean-American immigrant experience. If I choose the latter, I would obtain various narratives from my Chinese relatives and/or friends + acquaintances, who also can bring a unique understanding of food. Steinberg asserts on page 82 that “The immediacy of food memories would draw visitors into a rich scholarly field in the history of immigrant food culture…,” which is absolutely true. In addition to these personal narratives, I would add a community/neighborhood aspect to the exhibit to further enhance the audience’s learning experience. Adam Steinberg’s steps are very useful in helping to create a food story.
February 22, 2017 at 10:33 am
@w.chim Of course! That’s sometimes how many get through difficult classes…the work and relationships built with peers. This is probably why I also recommend to my students that they read Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire (and even referenced it in class last week). However, it’s not a bad idea to circle back with your professor about the question you had – in case many of the students need clarity. Imagine if you both got it wrong? The beautiful sensation of student-centered learning is when the students are able to teach each other, but whether this class or another, it’s a valuable and sometimes a must that you refer back to the source to make sure you are on track.
My comment & suggestion is more on the communal approach to learning as opposed to considering your confusion is only yours alone. My attempt in responding to Jacqueline is so that she knows for next time, she can feel free to come to me directly and then maybe work it out with her peers. I hope all is understood… and now back to Jamaican food oppression! Thanks to everyone for reading.
February 22, 2017 at 4:07 pm
In his piece “What We Talk About When We Talk About Food: Using Food to Teach History at the Tenement Museum,” Adam Steinberg asserts that “stories are powerful,” as they have the ability to “turn numbers on a spreadsheet into people, names on a census record into families” (79). These statements can most certainly be applied to the film Life and Debt, depicting the post-colonial relationship Jamaica has with food on the island. The narrator and producers of the film wanted to tell its audience a story, shedding light on the conditions that Jamaicans face on a daily basis with regards to food. Reading about issues does not invoke empathy as well as seeing them. Juxtaposing the warm and inviting images of the vacationers at the island resort against those of the poor food conditions makes a very stark contrast. It also demonstrates how the tourist part of the island is out of touch with the conditions inland. Another interesting juxtaposition is that of the imported commercial food chains with the imported food for the Jamaican people. Images of McDonald’s and Taco Bell were shown as the vacationers were taken down the main road. Minutes later, images of twenty-year-old chicken are shown being sold to the people. This is an outright disregard of respect and decency; the sellers even went so far as to say that it was intended to be sold in Haiti instead.
Watching Lucinda Scala share “her recipe” for Jamaican Jerk chicken, she noted her love for Jamaica and her many visits there. She also mentioned that her “family friends had a little jerk pit” and shared a picture. This appears to show that she has a respect for the dish and its culture. However, I do not believe that she is morally right in calling the recipe her own. The concern over Scala’s recipe is similar to the controversy with the white owners of Glady’s. I believe that in both instances, they are attempting to recreate Jamaica’s culture as their own. Using recipes and ingredients (such as the same wood for jerking) is not enough to make a food authentic. Steinberg observed how “the representation of food’s historical presence has proven challenging” (80). Replicating a recipe does not replicate its history, its culture, and its significance.
Steinberg makes an extremely powerful assertion that perfectly sums up the relationship between food and culture: “it was through food that many immigrant families preserved tradition and enlivened what could be a difficult life” (80). In creating the tour at the Tenement Museum, the curators attempted to address the issues that Scala and the owners of Glady’s ignored. They understood the significance of the history of a dish and the culture from which it was born.
If I were to design a museum exhibit about the history of spaghetti and meatballs, I would attempt to place at the forefront the Italian immigrants who brought the dish to the United States. A brief introduction would be a necessity about the history in Italy, but spaghetti and meatballs is as American as it is Italian; Steinberg states it best when he affirms that “American food is immigrant food” (83). Serving meatballs with spaghetti was a practice started by Italian immigrants in New York City. Stories of the immigrant women who made the dish would be an invaluable aspect to the exhibit. Moreover, a walking tour through the original Italian neighborhoods of the city would further enhance the experience.
February 22, 2017 at 4:48 pm
In “Life and Debt”, I witnessed many different kinds of stories that are unknown to most Americans. The film shares details of life in Jamaica post-colonialism. After Great Britain decolonized the island and stripped it of its resources, Jamaica was vulnerable. In its emergence as a new, independent country, its economy was extremely weak. The IMF and World Bank stepped in and offered loans to the small island. Early on, the country was already put into deep debt. To worsen the situation, “globalization” was rapidly spreading the country. As a result, native foods and products were not selling in the country. Jamaica lived solely off of foreign imports. Through the film I watched the devastation of the failing economy sweep the nation. Local farmers and even whole industries were out of business. People were angry and poor. Learning the story behind Jamaica’s history adds value to all I’ve previously known about the poor reputation of decolonized island, such as Jamaica. The film provides face to face value with real Jamaicans suffering from these issues. It makes it extremely powerful and adds pathos the movie, by examining the hardship of natives there. Most people (like fortunate Americans) are quick to judge the living conditions of poorer people in islands such as Jamaica. Most people would assume they are lazy, uneducated, and drug addicts. This is because the story behind all the economic suffering is disclosed to most Americans. It’s important to learn about the stories of people around the world because it opens our eyes to different cultures and ways around us. It makes us all more well- rounded and understanding of people and emotions that exist beyond our bubbles. It’s also important to hear these kinds of stories because we live in America, the great “melting pot.” Once we come across the various cultures from all over the world that exist just in New York (and we will because we are a city of immigrants) we will be able to identify with the history of these cultures, and quickly transcend stereotypes and preconceived notions of any specific group of people.
I don’t think the goal in la Gladys was to create “authentic” Jamaican food. To judge the restaurant and say it’s not good because it’s not “authentic” enough is not a fair statement. Two men wanted to recreate something they loved in their visit to Jamaica. Is there anything wrong with that? Isn’t that what America is about; the fusion of cultures is what makes us special! These two men created an Americanized version of Jamaican Jerk Chicken. I’m sure to most native” Jamaicans, eating at la Gladys won’t immediately connect them to their roots and home and may seem like a “pale imitation” (Steinberg 83). However, what is important is that their roots were admired and recognized in the great new country they live in. What is authentic is extremely subjective. As Steinberg puts it “What’s considered authentic also changes overtime.” So to some people, some day, la Gladys Jamaican Jerk Chicken could be considered authentic.
In my history project, Jacqueline and I are planning to research sushi. First, on sushi’s origins and characteristics in Japan. We will then study how sushi has become a popular food in the United States, and which changes it took on in becoming “Americanized”. We would also like to add a hint of our personal food cultures into the research. Jacqueline and I are both Jewish, and many types of sushi are prohibited for us to eat because they are not kosher. Many kosher sushi restaurants have switched up authentic sushi, for Jews to eat it. In our research, we plan to discover how authentic Japanese sushi has changed in its migration to the US, especially when its transformed to fit a different culture (like Judaism).
February 22, 2017 at 6:25 pm
Through the lens of the creators of Life and Debt, our class gained insight into a situation not uncommon to the countries that were once colonies: The modernization and possible alienation of food, culture, and history.
Steinberg’s article reflects on the power of stories to give a face, give a life, to words and numbers that might mean nothing to an observer initially. Through the struggles of post-colonial Jamaica, we witness how the separation of history and food affects a nation and the experience of those who visit that nation. This new perspective creates a sense of irony when reflecting on the creation of Glady’s. It is possible that the owner of Glady’s and the chef Lucinda Scala did not experience the authentic Jamaican jerk they thought they had. Instead, what they likely enjoyed was a modern version that closely resembled what jerk once was. As Steinberg dresses, authenticity changes overtime. The people cooking jerk in Jamaica still know the narrative, though they adjust to modern conditions to re-create jerk and add onto its narrative as opposed to losing it completely. The Jamaican jerk in Jamaica that is created from foreign meat and spices should not be discredited as un-authentic simply because it utilizes different steps. Rather, it should be understood for what it is, authentic modernized Jamaican jerk.
That said, the Tenement Museum reading creates a new perspective on restaurants such as Glady’s, as well as Lucinda Scala’s book. Food transforms as it moves and as time stretches onward. It develops new parts to its narrative as regulation, colonization, vacations, and re-creations combine. The world of pushcarts and crowded markets was changed in the U.S in the name of assimilation, yet the narrative of the immigrants’ foods was not severed. Instead, the narrative transformed and history gave the meaning of the foods within those cultures and the cultures that exchanged with those cultures new definition.
A museum exhibit of my food history project would re-creations of the original tools and methods used to make mole, as well as the modern methods that re-create mole today. There would be a line of spices, hopefully all of the many spices that go into mole. This exhibit would contain a narrative outline the transformation of mole from the influence ancient Central American cultures to the effects of colonization, to mole in post-colonial times. In addition, because the exhibit would likely be in the United States, the exhibit would have to feature how mole has changed since arriving in North America.
February 22, 2017 at 6:39 pm
Stories are powerful because it gives something worth and meaning. Like many of my peers have acknowledged, foods cross cultural boundaries every day. Things that are vital to the history of one place may have actually originated half way across the world. Food itself is so important because it changes alongside the people that prepare it. There is a reason behind why certain ingredients are a part of a dish. Perhaps long ago, the people of those places were struggling with famine and that is why mostly cheap grains were used. Understanding that, it is easy to see how a restaurant like Gladys may face adversary. From the video “Life and Debt”, it was easy to see the struggles of the Jamaican people throughout history. They had fought so long to gain their independence from Britain, and when they finally got it, it was only more strife. The people have been exploited for so long, it’s hard to see Gladys as giving the West Indies a voice.
Authenticity is not about how accurate a dish is. Agreeing with Steinberg, I don’t see Gladys devotion to duplication as a favor for the Jamaican culture. Importing the wood into the United States does not do justice to the rich history behind the dish. Food in itself always changes. That is why accuracy is not always the most important thing. I would like to believe that people value other interpretations and variations. Like in any profession, you can only grow if you are challenged. And while I do believe that dictating how food should be made isn’t a good option either, I believe it is important to be more culturally conscious as a society.
Like with the Tenement Museum, it is important to understand the history behind certain things because that is how we respect it. Stories are what makes things meaningful. It is what makes small apartments worth memorializing. It tells the story of all those immigrants who helped build our city.
In a way it frightens me because the owners of Gladys were not even aware they were doing something culturally insensitive. They told their story of how they began their restaurant, but to native West Indians, it probably resembled something more along the lines of ignorance. The story should not have been Gladys to tell. And if they were going to give a voice to Jamaican culture, perhaps they should have actually said something about Jamaican culture.
It is easy to say that we shouldn’t be so serious about food. However, if it was your grandmother’s special recipe that was being exploited, you would have an issue with is as well.
February 23, 2017 at 2:55 am
After screening the film Life and Debt in class on Friday, I obtained a new insight on Jamaica’s relationship with the food on their island. When discussing Jamaica and its food in our previous classes, I was under the assumption that all of its foods were indigenous to the island. After watching the film I see how wrong I was. The film explained, to my astonishment, that the people of Jamaica are greatly dependent on imported foods from other countries. The cost of producing their own food is greater than having food imported! Insane! Now, the main reason why my recent awareness of Jamaica’s unfortunate reality is so important to me is because it validates my argument from that previous reading response. I was of the minority opinion that claimed Glady’s food was authentic because the food barely changed, if at all, from its origination. However, many other peers, with whom Mints would most likely agree, took the opposite approach, claiming that Glady’s could not be authentic because its food does not come from Jamaica; it’s impossible for Glady’s to make authentic Caribbean food since their resources are from America. Well look how the tables have turned! You’re going to tell me that even if Glady’s replicates the exact same dish and it tastes, looks, and smells almost identical to its Jamaican-made version, their food still can’t be considered authentic because bottom line- there food/ingredients aren’t coming Jamaica. But we just learned that Jamaican people themselves usually didn’t even use food from their own country to make their dishes! They imported most of their food from Miami, so don’t tell me that in order to make authentic Caribbean food one would need to use Jamaican resources when the Jamaicans themselves didn’t even use their own resources. When Lucinda Scala was sharing her recipe for Jamaican Jerk chicken, she mentioned that a key to making good food is using indigenous ingredients and then lifted up a pepper from Jamaica. So of course this shows us that not every food that the Jamaicans eat are imported- that would be absurd. However, from the film it is still logical to say that many of the foods that Jamaicans use aren’t from their island.
Steinberg informs us in his article that someone can use stories and historical references as an effective educational tool. He tells us right off the bat that a skilled story-teller has the ability to “open our eyes to new ways of seeing the world.” This is exactly what the narrator of the film possesed. She informs her audience of Jamaica’s hardships through the use of stories and visual and auditory accompaniment. Just like the narrator of the film, Steinberg utilized these methods, but he even added the accompaniment of food to better inform his audience through the story. Of he course he goes on to explain in the rest of the article how exactly it played out in the Tenement Museum. I feel that Tenement Museum has provided me with the knowledge of better techniques to inform any audience of a message that I may wish to send out. I hope to utilize at least one or two of these techniques in my communications course this semester, in which I will soon be presenting an informative speech in front of the class!
If I were to put together a museum exhibit of Isreali culture and its food, Humus in particular, I would start off the conflict on where Humus is originally from. There are several opinions on where Humus was actually created. Was it created in Israel? Was it created in Lebanon? Was it created somewhere else in the middle east? It’s been around for too long for us to know for sure. However, what we do know for sure is that Israel is known to make some of the world’s best Humus. Just like many other foods, Humus finally made its way to the United States and can now be found all over New York City. I would share a few stories throughout. Definitely one on the Humus wars. Another on the steps to making Hummus. Maybe another on how some Hummus in the US don’t taste similar to the ones in Israel. By doing this the audience will be able to have a full scope of the role Humus has played in Israel and in the US.
February 23, 2017 at 11:43 am
It seems like part of the reason Glady’s isn’t considered authentic is because they simply learned about the current cuisine in Jamaica rather then having extensive knowledge of the history of how it became that way, like most Jamaicans do and even experienced part of in their lives. They might not have any knowledge of the history of Jamaica either for that matter, so presenting themselves as capable of making “Authentic Caribbean cuisine” may seem like a farce. History is important because it give context not only on how things got to where they currently are, but also why. The way the Tenement combines all aspects of culture from food and race to class, and religion is comparatively much more wholistic and feels more complete and authentic or genuine ad a result.
For my food history project, I would examine the history of kotlety, shashlyk, and other commoner foods in Russia, as well as why this food become common and how it changed over time. I would look into old recipes and see how they verify from more recent ones, as well as try to connect other aspects of Russian history such as religion and class to the cuisine.
February 23, 2017 at 4:38 pm
In his article, Steinberg mentions that stories are powerful in by giving life to the numbers of people by giving life through their individual stories. Steinberg’s article resonates with millions of immigrants today and immigrants from the early 20th century by showing how food can bring to life the stories of immigrants and connects their old world to their new world. he food that the immigrants bring gives them a unique identity that helps them not only stay connected to the familiarity of their old homes but also carve a uniquely individual identity in their new world. Food, I think, not only gives people a voice in a strange and new land environment but also allows them retain their cultural identities can adapt and assimilate into the culture of the new land.
While many of my peers have denounced Gladys for promoting Jamaican food that is not authentically Jamaican food, I find myself conflicted about the issue of Gladys promoting its food as “authentic” Jamaican food. Before I was introduced to Jamaica’s economic story that resulted in the current cultural problems and the issue of authenticity, I viewed purely authentic food to be food that is only created in a specific place and is served in that place. Therefore, I had viewed pure authentic Jamaican food as food that is created from naturally-grown Jamaican products, made by native Jamaicans, cooked in the Jamaican style, and served in Jamaica. However, my view contradicts with the current food culture in Jamaica.
From watching the video of Jamaica struggle for economic prosperity and Gladys desire to bring the “true” authentic food of Jamaica that was, I find that the meaning of authentic is not truly a fixed definition. “Authentic” changes as a society that it is a part of changes to meet its present challenges. Therefore, my strict definition of authentic food would have applied to Jamaican food before the huge presence of imported food in the Jamaican food. However, today with the presence of the cheap Jamaican food that had led to Jamaicans incorporating them into their food culture, the meaning of authentic Jamaican food changed to include imported food that is incorporated in the Jamaican dishes that we call “authentic”. Authentic is what is currently being produced in whatever method in the home country whether it is produced with foreign products or homegrown products because the story of the authentic food of that culture has changed, evolved, to include the new additions to the food culture.
Concerning Gladys, I am not as opposed to its portrayal of authentic Jamaican food as other people because food changes and evolves as it migrates and become part of different societies. Gladys is trying to honor the Jamaican food that they experienced (the evolved Jamaican food) by bringing it to America and trying to present it as authentically as possible. Of course, as my group members pointed out Gladys does not truly portray the authenticity of Jamaican food because they were not exposed to the economic depression, colonial history, and the food problems that Jamaican experienced to produce the “authentic” Jamaican food that the owners of Gladys saw and loved. Like the Americans who vacation in Jamaica marveling at the beauty of the island and relaxed personalities of the people that hide the economic pain of the people, the owners from Gladys have only been exposed to the beautiful part of Jamaica, not the true “authentic” impoverished Jamaica so they do not see the real Jamaica that they are trying to promote. Therefore, even though I don’t have a problem with their promotion of Jamaican food, they do not have a right to call it “authentic Jamaican food” because authentic Jamaican food has a bigger story than explored by the owners of Gladys; a story of hardship and economic poverty that they have yet to explore.
When we learn the narrative of a particular food, it is important to incorporate it in the conversation about the food because the narrative is an important part of honoring the culture of the people who made the food to life. The tenement museum understands the importance of the historical reference of food because they understand food is interconnected with all immigrant experiences and cultures. By incorporating the changes of the immigrant’s food into the story of the immigrant’s assimilation into American society, we begin to understand more about the cultural background of the immigrants and their values. For example, the type of bread, the method of preparation of said bread, and the ingredient of the bread, and the changes in the said bread by Italian immigrants tells as much of a story about their history and culture as any other information. Food tells an essential story about the culture and the changes in the culture of immigrant groups in America as they begin to assimilate into American and adapt their food to their new environment. These evolved food stories are just as important to the narrative of immigrant groups as the original food stories about the importance of food in the immigrant experience.
A museum exhibit of my food history project would pay homage to the two main cities where Lamian became popular by telling the history of the two places and how the culture influenced the shape and taste of the Lamian in these two cities in china. However, because I want to tell the story of Lamia’s journey out of China, I will tell the stories how Lamian travelled with the immigrants from the two specific cities into different parts of the world and how it became assimilated into the different cultures that it encountered.
February 23, 2017 at 4:58 pm
When unpacking Steinberg’s idea of stories being powerful it is helpful to put some context behind the idea. When looking at the documentary Life and Debt it is important to view Jamaica’s story through Steinberg’s ideas of power. Jamaica, while a vacation hot-spot and beautiful island, has several behind the scenes crises happening that not many know about. Post its colonization Jamaica was put into a dire financial situation and forced to take out loans from the IMF and other loan agencies that know add up to over 4 billion dollars. Adding this debt to the high rate of unemployment and the inability to create a stable agricultural/food economy, Jamaica is put into a corner with not many solutions. For example, when the documentary discusses the couple coming to the island and having an “authentic” meal, the couple has no idea that the food is most likely from Miami. Looping this exchange back to Steinberg’s idea of stories is important because people need to understand that while certain things look good on the surface we really need to dig deep into the real stories in order to see what is really going on.
Looking at the documentary and our class discussion about Gladys several important parallels can be drawn. Much like the couple at the hotel, Gladys’ owners came to Jamaica for a vacation and ended up brining back an “authentic” jerk chicken recipe. Gladys after serving their version of the food for some time and calling it “authentic” caught some backlash from the community because of the possibly unethical way in which they got their recipes. While this backlash is understandable, it is important to note that even some people in Jamaica itself are unable to create authentic meal for themselves due to farmers not being able to produce crops so they must rely on imported goods. This would mean that the food produced in Jamaica itself is not authentic and would be no different than what the founders of Gladys are doing.
For my project I look forward to exploring Vietnamese culture and understanding not just the history of Pho but the history of the people. Every dish was created for a reason and I want to find out what that reason was for these people. If I could have an exhibit in a museum for Pho, it would include a walk through of photos and videos of Vietnam’s people and what ingredients they prefer and how they go about cultivating them. Every story is powerful and it is important to learn as much as we can about them.
February 23, 2017 at 9:45 pm
“Life and Debt” uses various film techniques to really vocalize a specific message about the food industry in Jamaica. Whether it be the scene of Banana farmers carrying Banana’s in slow motion to the famous Banana Boat Song by Harry Belafonte. Along with that scene, I found the simultaneous display of vacationers enjoying themselves on the resorts and native Jamaicans in their everyday lives to be quite powerful and moving. Especially, when talking in terms of Steinberg’s essay. The opening statement of Steinberg’s piece is “stories are powerful,” and I think this could not have been more affirmed in the film. When seeing the snippets of people’s, Jamaican farmers, lives in Jamaica, and being brought into that narrative, I think any human with a heart (broad statement, I know) is impacted one way or another.
But the question of how we can use Steinberg’s article to frame the Jamaican reality with their own farming in an expanding global market, and subsequently the whole debacle with Gladys, I think the answer lies in the history of immigrants’ relationship with their native food, when coming to America, and the facts of the global economy as it has grown, and will continue to grow. Steinberg definitely touches on the history of how immigrant groups have reacted to the change in food resources and introduction to new foods when coming to America. He sheds light on an interesting point regarding food being the best preserver of tradition. Which is something I find interesting especially regarding my comment last week on how food cannot be appropriated. (I will have to rethink that one because traditions and history could be appropriated.)
I do believe that watching Life and Debt and reading Steinberg’s article made me more inclined to be sensitive to food of certain cultures, and how we, non-natives, engage with whatever that “native food” is. Along with the idea that stories matter in the narrative of food. However, in align with Steinberg, and in reference to Gladys, I do think our society would greatly benefit from a sense of mutual respect for others food and a sense of acknowledgment to the facts surrounding the history and narrative of the given foods, I don’t think people should be forced to provide that narrative, nor do I think the people who disregard the narrative, take the food, and open a restraint in Brooklyn are doing anything wrong. Sure, it would be splendid to have all the “ethnic” food that has been “appropriated” to a certain extent, be identified and transparent about the history and narrative of the culture the food represents, but it isn’t a right, rather a plus.
For my museum exhibit, I think the most important thing that I would attempt to convey is the relationship between the history of the pilmeni or pierogi in its respective origin countries or areas, and the way it was brought to America by people who fled for a better life (or were forced to leave). Capturing testimony of people describing the difficulty of trying to imitate that original taste, they once remember from their kitchen at home. Also, to show the ways in which it changed to become the American pierogi based on new ingredients offered in America that were not offered in Ukraine. I think what would be most interesting is to have spoken testimony (preferably in its original language with subtitles) speaking of the ways the pierogi has evolved.
February 23, 2017 at 11:03 pm
In countries struck by debt and lack of resources, it is not hard to imagine the impact that these factors have on daily lives. In the documentary, Life and Debt, we are exposed to the harsh and conflicted lifestyles of many Jamaicans living on the island. As Steinberg mentioned in his article, “Stories are powerful” , we truly get a taste of this idea through the documentary. From outside, tourists that come to Jamaica do not realize the reality of how many Jamaicans are struggling to live by. When they come, they only enjoy the luxurious lifestyle aided by Jamaican staffs that meet their needs. They eat “authentic” Jamaican food not knowing that it actually came from a ship. In a sense, the tourists are oblivious to the reality of how Jamaicans do not have a nice life, but in a way we cannot say they are at fault. In the perspective of the tourist, we would not want to spend money to visit a foreign country just to be tricked into the reality of how poor and debt-ridden it is. The purpose of vacation is to relax and enjoy the views of what the country is known for. However, for many of us, it is important to realize that life is not all that happy. We can see this through the stories of the locals. Many of the farmers are struggling to produce crops and in some cases can’t even afford to produce them. Ever since Jamaica signed a contract with the IMF for funds, the IMF have restricted and limited the things Jamaica can do for their people. The IMF have made it almost impossible for people to sustain a stable life as crops produced overseas are much cheaper than the locally grown ones. That is just insane in a country where most of the country is agriculturally able to produce. Additionally, the inflation of the Jamaican dollar and high unemployment rates has made Jamaica a vulnerable country for cheap labor and constant victim for lack of funds.
In the case of Gladys, I can truly reiterate my point as in how their jerk chicken is not authentic. As mentioned before, most of the ingredients are grown overseas due to the cheaper prices. The jerk chicken that the owners learn from the guy on the beach is most definitely made with those imported ingredients. This shows that the jerk chicken is not authentic as Jamaicans themselves are not even eating their own authentic food. Because it is not authentic from the orgin, it goes to say that the jerk chicken from Glady’s is twice as unauthentic as it also probably has been modified through the ingredients able in the States as well as consumer tastebuds.
Personally, I think the Tenement Museum did an excellent job in recreating the past and bring awareness to a modern era. It is always nice to learn about the past, but the structure they did it in was unique. By walking to different stores and experiencing the local flavors, our senses are more lively and they bring out emotions. We get a sense of how ethnicities intertwined in a time where many immigrant lives were just forming. There is a clear response of how immigrants have adapted to fit in a society that is much different than their own.
For my history project, I look forward to investigating about Vietnamese Culture through the len of Banh Mi. I learned found out through my research that Banh Mi is an influence between French and Vietnamese Culture during the time when Vietnam was still colonized through France. In a museum exhibit, I would like to explore the connection between Banh Mi through the different regions in Vietnam. As countries are known for having different versions of the same dish due to regional differences. I would also like to show case the importance of Banh Mi and the idea of why it was initially created.
February 25, 2017 at 8:55 pm
Steinberg’s piece, in which he seeks to convey the importance of stories in terms of a culture’s identity, along with “Life and Debt,” a documentary which addresses current globalization policies, such as the impact of the IMF, on developing countries like Jamaica, provides an interesting lens through which we can consider food, culture, and authenticity. By examining these works the importance of the history of a culture’s cuisine becomes much more apparent. The modernization of food and its adaptation is a major part of how food travels and cultures intertwine; however, sometimes the history is left behind. When this happens, people may not know or understand why a certain cuisine is prepared the way it is, or why the people from that part of the world eat the food in the first place. Perhaps as it is suggested in Steinberg’s piece, these aforementioned elements are essential in recognizing the authenticity of food. With this perspective, it is understandable why the owners of Glady’s had received the criticism they did. Yet, I still hold the view that Glady’s is doing a service for the Brooklyn community by providing Jamaican food. Of course, knowing the history and having the cultural insight would make the experience more appealing, but the food at Glady’s can still be enjoyed and appreciated without having such knowledge.
For my history project, I look forward to exploring the history of Uzbekistan. This project will help me to get back in touch with my culture as I examine my home country’s national dish, Plov. I want to discover the “story” behind Plov, and how its recipe has changed over time.