My favorite readings from the assigned ones were Berry’s “The Pleasures of the Table” and Pollan’s “In Defense of food”. Both authors had very different writing styles, but go hand in hand to emphasize how the past is a blueprint that we should have in mind when making and eating food.
I am very impressed by Berry’s story telling techniques, especially in the description of how Catlett’s grandmother makes the raspberry pie from scratch. I think that sometimes there is a fine line between mundane details and meaningful details and Berry is able to express the latter. Step-by-step, it seems as if I was there watching her make the pie: measuring, mixing and pressing the dough into the pan. Every step is done so smoothly that it shows her mastery, but also shows how time-consuming it is. Given how limited her kitchen was with no electrical equipment, a lot of effort must have been put in making this pie and is an indication of love. I was really touched by the quote “Knowledge grows with age, and gratitude grows with knowledge”. Now we are capable to not only enjoy the taste, but also appreciate the long process and emotions behind how food is prepared for us. In Catlett’s case, this crisp, sugary pie crust was a symbol of his grandmother’s love.
Pollan adds to this idea proposing “Don’t eat anything your great grandma doesn’t recognize”. What great grandmas recognize are foods that take time to prepare, a contrast to the many new and convenient foods that have been invented nowadays. A recent discovery I have made is microwavable rice that does not need to be refrigerated or frozen and “freshly cooked” rice is ready in 3 minutes. It tastes amazing, but I question the amount of additives and procedures applied to keep it fresh. The fact that more people are choosing instant food is problematic. How is food able to be a symbol of emotions and history if fewer people are willing to put time into making food? Who would make a pie crust from scratch if they are busy and have the option of buying ready-made pie-crusts that are even cheaper?
Food that once preserve a wealth of meaning, now seem to be reduced to simply objects that fill up our stomach because we have made the choice to prioritize efficiency. I think right now what everyone can at least do is to learn how our grandmothers cook and take on the mission to pass these recipes and techniques on.
In my opinion, your statement, “we have made the choice to prioritize efficiency,” perfectly describes the current (generalized) food culture in America. The American culture as a whole glorifies speed and efficiency, and while those qualities have their time and place, I agree with you that efficiency should not penetrate the culture of food to the degree that it does because we lose those meaningful anecdotes when microwaving instant rice.
I enjoyed this connection between the grandmother in Berry’s story and Pollan’s great-grandmother, Karen. (Those two wisdom figures were probably in the same generation when you factor in the setting of Berry’s story four decades in the past.) Your way of linking them helped me to see a new side of each of these ancestors. I already understood them in Pollan’s sense of people who cooked and ate before the triumph of processed food. They began with basic ingredients and produce of the season, to which they applied their traditional techniques and recipes. The results were both more delicious and more healthful than much fast food and packaged food. But the vignette of Andy Catlett’s grandmother making that pie brings out the fact that, like boiled rice versus the new instant rice, it required time and labor. It was a product of both skill and love, and a process through which the bonds of family were nourished.