Sunday, January 9, 2011
Food Traditions...Treasured or Threatened?
My "Create Your Own Adventure": http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/video/2010/apr/01/india-coffee-house-kerala
For my Adventure piece, I decided to go with something a little more foreign to me. Although Indian cuisine is and always has been a personal favorite of mine, I realized that the extent to which I had experienced it was limited only to a few locally owned and chain restaurants within a five mile radius of my house...so I began perusing sites for more information on traditions and customs of Indian culture and food, hoping to gain some insight into a culture I have grown to love and still seemed to know nothing about. Although this clip is short, about two and a half minutes, it actually really resonated with me; the theme of tradition in terms of food -- the way it's served, where it's served, who makes it, and what's available on a daily basis -- is familiar to me, and I thought that many others had probably also felt these kinds of attachments to certain foods and the environments we've experienced them in. The video mentions that although the coffee house was established in the 1950's, everything -- even the starched uniforms and signs on the walls -- have remained the same. Although change and progress in the food industry can often be beneficial and desired, certain traditions and customs in food that are irreplaceable to people of a community can be lost in the fast-paced and always changing food industry of today's society.
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There is so much to talk about with this clip. Very interesting. Looking forward to class!
ReplyDeleteIt's really unfortunate that places like this are overshadowed by and losing business because of the big coffee chains. India's Coffee House has had a long-standing relationship with the people of Kerala, and it's obviously a place worth visiting because of its history. I agree with what you say at the end of your blog; progress in the food industry is a good thing, but not when it takes the spotlight off of what sets a city apart from the chains.
ReplyDeleteEven though the world is becoming more and more riddled with Mcdonald´s and KFCs by the day, that sort of dining experience will never rival what traditional places have to offer. Sitting in a plastic chair in front of the ocean at my home town and drinking a beer over a good conversation and some cebiche will never ever be challenged by whatever an americanized fast food chain has to offer.
ReplyDeleteSure, modernization and the embarrassment we feel in third world countries for being "behind" is a threat to traditions like the tea shops in India. But then again, coming from a place where Guinea Pigs are food and the restaurants who serve them are always packed, I don´t see these customs going away any time soon.
It's so refreshing to see that this little indian coffee house, its facade squished between other competing industries, has found room to fit the demands of modern day cliental. Although I obviously don't know what the place was like in the 1950s, it's remarkable at how "unchanged" it really does seem. From the pictures on the walls, to the uniforms, to the dishes of food themselves, it's just like you said, 100% traditional. I think this goes to show that even in our fast paced, society that's all about NEW NEW NEW, there is something to be said for the value of tradition. And that in itself is an incredibly important lesson.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was watching the clip I was at the same time feeling a tinge of guilt for my Starbucks obsession.. I would say that although it is absolutely evident that food chains are everywhere, there are still tons of little jems that people won't forget about. There is a small place in Jackson called The Roxy cafe. If you drove past it, I'm almost certain you'd never step foot inside, but I can ASURE you that you will never eat a better breakfast in a more fun atmosphere. I'm almost positive it's a "historical site" in Jackson.. God knows what that means but hey. I'm tellin' ya, that place goes and there may be a 35,000 person riot!
ReplyDeleteNora, this is just a little nudge that you really should be posting responses to the readings. It's third week already. . . .
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