American Food

I had trouble writing this blog because I couldn't really define what culture had really influenced me growing up as a child. I know I was feed Ethiopian injera with lentils and similar legume dishes before I even began school. But during my elementary years I ate meals influenced by Indonesian cooking which almost never had pork. Once my family settled down in the north west though, I was introduced to ham and for a short while my school lunch consisted of a bologna sandwiches with a juice box and some carrots. I remember getting sick and tired of eating salmon and pasta all the time for dinner, but now those dishes never cease to interest my appetite. After reading the article assigned, I checked the library for information on any strange foods that might have originated from North American culture in general. As most of us know, the discovery of the "New World" introduced the use of corn and corn maise into the culinary palletes of cultures around the world; not a weird food but definitely functional. While reading from a source entitled "Foods America Gave The World," which was written mind you in 1937 I was surprised at how fondly the author talked about cooking raccoons, opossums, wood-chucks, and even praising skunks as being "far superior to the popular gray squirrels." One would think a cultural affinity for skunk meat would give new meaning to the phrase "love stinks." The North American Indians used to collect crickets and grasshoppers and crush them into patties similar to latkes and eat them. I would try a grasshopper patty, I think it sounds kind of crunchy, like hash browns but with more flavor. Anyway that's 200 words+ so here's some research material if you want to learn more about strange North American foods and food related customs!

Verrill, Aepheus. Foods America Gave The World. Boston, MA: L. C. Page & Company, 1937.

it can be found on Wilson 4W its call number is TX260.A5 V4

I also found this book about the various food phobias found in cultures throughout history:

Ferriéres, Madeleine. Sacred Cow, Mad Cow: A History of Food Fears. New York: Colombia University Press, 2006.

this one is also located on Wilson 4W its call number is RC622.F47613 2006