Sunday, August 26, 2007

cultured?

I am 3/4 chinese, and 1/4 native polynesian/native hawaiian. Plus, growing up as the thrid generation, I think that i have been given the perfect balance between american culture and my native cultures. And now that i think of it, all of these factors play a huge role in what I eat.
From my dad's side, I get my little bit of Hawaiian. One of my favorite meals is hawaiian bbq. I have memories of being at my aunts' houses, dining on the traditional rice, poi, salad, and macaroni.
My main culture influence is definetly from my Chinese side. My mom's parents are the only grandparents that I have, and I am very close with them. My grandma is an infamous chef, cooking traditional Chinese dishes for all of her friends and family. Her recipies and secrets have been passed down to my mom, who cooks for us. Traditional chinese food is a staple in our everyday cuisine.
I think that I am perfectly centered as a third generation child. While I am still very close with my culture, I am also opened up to American culture as well. And as a definite plus, I am lucky enough to have parent that love to travel. Every summer, my family takes a big trip. we have experienced Hong Kong, Japan, Italy, China, Spain, and Australia among other places. My dad and mom are huge food lovers, so whenever we go anywhere, they always make sure that we have native dining and that we try everything possible.
SO, after all that, I do think myself to be very cultured. And from that, I am able to take samples of very different foods, to see them indiviually, and to even bring a little of each together!

No comments: