My immediate family is from the South. We are African American. Our family palate consisted mostly of Southern country style foods, much like you see in some of today's modern Southern restaurant chains. However, I remember having my first knish down on the Lower East Side, that my mother bought from a street vendor. Having that knish was the first of many steps that I would take throughout my life in trying out different foods from many different cultures.
I remember that it wasn't even a whole knish. I had to split the knish with my sister who was older than me. I'm pretty sure that it had a little mustard on it and I remember my mother looking at me, waiting to see if I even liked it. I did. The part that I liked the best was the skin in the corners. It was always nice and chewy. The bland potato stuff in the middle was only offset by the dabble of mustard. As time went on, I eventually discovered cheese in placing cheese in a knish. Definitely much more flavorful and interesting.
The advantage of growing up in downtown New York City was the fact that there were so many Jewish delis in the area, so you were guaranteed a pretty good knish no matter where you went.
But the genius of that whole experience was that my mother engineered that moment. She was teaching us to try different things and to not be afraid, or confined to any one thing. As we walked to different places along the streets, my mother was always quick to stop in and get me and my sister to try something different. Jewish, Spanish, Asian or Caribbean food - anything was possible when it came to my mother making sure that we tried different food from different cultures. Whether the food was bought from a store or given to us from neighbors - we tried everything.
Food sharing was a great conversation starter. It drew people together in a conversation no matter where they were standing. They could have been on a bus, a train, in the hallway of your building, or while shopping at the supermarket. Of course mostly the women from that generation cooked. But some of the men from that generation cooked too. They usually had a specialty...like cooking on Thanksgiving or barbecuing during the 4th of July or Labor Day.
Today's generation don't know their way around a kitchen all that well. If the food packaging doesn't say microwavable, just add water or heat and serve - these young people are lost. They get their food starter conversation started - in a restaurant. It's so much more impersonal at that point. Because none of their spirit is involved in the process. The food is being cooked by someone else in the kitchen
What is one of your favorite dishes to prepare for guests or family? Feel free to write in and share. :-)
I remember that it wasn't even a whole knish. I had to split the knish with my sister who was older than me. I'm pretty sure that it had a little mustard on it and I remember my mother looking at me, waiting to see if I even liked it. I did. The part that I liked the best was the skin in the corners. It was always nice and chewy. The bland potato stuff in the middle was only offset by the dabble of mustard. As time went on, I eventually discovered cheese in placing cheese in a knish. Definitely much more flavorful and interesting.
The advantage of growing up in downtown New York City was the fact that there were so many Jewish delis in the area, so you were guaranteed a pretty good knish no matter where you went.
But the genius of that whole experience was that my mother engineered that moment. She was teaching us to try different things and to not be afraid, or confined to any one thing. As we walked to different places along the streets, my mother was always quick to stop in and get me and my sister to try something different. Jewish, Spanish, Asian or Caribbean food - anything was possible when it came to my mother making sure that we tried different food from different cultures. Whether the food was bought from a store or given to us from neighbors - we tried everything.
Food sharing was a great conversation starter. It drew people together in a conversation no matter where they were standing. They could have been on a bus, a train, in the hallway of your building, or while shopping at the supermarket. Of course mostly the women from that generation cooked. But some of the men from that generation cooked too. They usually had a specialty...like cooking on Thanksgiving or barbecuing during the 4th of July or Labor Day.
Today's generation don't know their way around a kitchen all that well. If the food packaging doesn't say microwavable, just add water or heat and serve - these young people are lost. They get their food starter conversation started - in a restaurant. It's so much more impersonal at that point. Because none of their spirit is involved in the process. The food is being cooked by someone else in the kitchen
What is one of your favorite dishes to prepare for guests or family? Feel free to write in and share. :-)
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