Food And Cultural Identity

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Food is vital to cultural identity and is much a part of a person’s culture as their language or religion. The food that people eat communicate their beliefs and social backgrounds. This essay will explore different ways that people choose to perform their identities through the foods that they prepare and eat. With the United States exportation of SPAM to the Philippines and fast food ‘glocalization’, Matejowsky highlights the importance of food choices by showing how different people in diverse countries view the same food item. Filipinos view SPAM as something as a delicacy. “SPAM’s appeal transcends social class so that wealthy, middle-class, and working Filipinos all regularly consume it” (Matejowsky 372). While in the United States …show more content…

According to Opie, “The Chitlin Circuit: The Origins and Meanings of Soul Food,” black entertainers such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight before the Civil Rights Movement made their living on the ‘chitlin circuit” which were Black owned nightclubs and theaters. Black entertainers were not allowed to eat in white restaurants at that time due to institutional racism and systematic segregation in America. The black owned theatres did not have kitchens or menus, however, certain savvy African Americans established places close to the arena where the entertainers and others could purchase good tasting food (Opie …show more content…

Due to the lack of Chinese ingredients in Mexico, chefs had to use alternative products, this created a fusion of Mexican and Chinese cuisines. According to Liu, “It is rare but significant that the food of one ethnic group has evolved into an expressive form of another group’s identity” (Liu 4). It is also important to note, “China has no national food. Different geographical areas have different food products, local flavors, and famous dishes in their culinary cultures” (Liu 4). In the united states, Chinese food is Americanized; or in other words not authentic Chinese

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