Originally published: 2/2/2016 | 1:00pm
After taking a lengthy hiatus to gather new material to talk about, I am finally back with a new "series" that will include several installments over the course of the next month. I had discussed this topic with my mother several months back, but was unsure of when to start writing. I feel like now is a great time, so get ready to start exploring various cultures through an enjoyable and edible experience!
I had originally planned on writing about this topic before my European travel series, but I wanted to make sure I had enough material to discuss with my readers first. Eating food from cultures other than your own is a fun way to learn about the world. Although actually visiting locations is more effective in doing this, it is also very expensive. Hosting a cultural lunch or dinner event (or attending one like I did) is a cheaper option that still allows you to interact with people of the featured culture and learn something new!
At the university that I attend, there is at least one day out of each month that the dining halls on campus have a cultural celebration day. For instance, during Hispanic Heritage Month, there was a Mexican-American dinner complete with delicious food, festive decorations, a piñata and trivia, and best of all, a mariachi band. The decorations and entertainment help create a more ideal environment, and, when done correctly, can give you a sense of being immersed in the culture. As for the food, there are numerous recipes that exist within the Mexican-American culture, so if you plan on having your own culture appreciation event try to prepare meals that are better for serving the amount of people you are expecting. Since the event I went to was open to the campus the dishes served could accommodate crowds of large numbers Some of the food included: tacos, enchiladas, rice, elotes, churros, pan dulce, tres leches, and horchata. These are popular dishes that can be made to serve just a few or many people. Of course, there are plenty of other tasty options that exist. Feel free to look up "Mexican-American cuisine" and try something new!
Hopefully this has inspired you to perhaps develop a greater or new appreciation for food of other cultures. Food makes learning a going through new experiences fun, so even if you can't travel to enjoy another culture you can at least enjoy the food where you reside. I will be writing about similar events for the weeks to come, so stay tuned! Also, I have added links to recipes (following the order above) for the foods/drinks I ate at the Mexican-American dinner in case you would like to make some of the dishes yourself. Happy eating!
Feel free to leave comments below, tweet (@KimiThoughts), or leave a post/message on Facebook (@KimisTravelThoughts) and share your recipes, thoughts, or experiences with Mexican-American Cuisine!
