Final Draft of Essay 1

Natanaelle Gracia 

In Love with Pork 

I would not let go of pork. I could hardly tell whether it was its savory flavors, its golden crust, or its tender, succulent meat that captivated me, but one thing was for sure: there was no going back. The highlight of the menu that year was pork. Once I had tasted the pulled pork sandwich made by Aunt Theresa at the annual summer family reunion, I was bewitched. 

I vividly remember the atmosphere of that summer evening as if it were yesterday. From the moment I stepped into my grandmother’s compound, it was as if I had stepped into a scene from a storybook. The air was filled with the laughter of children as they played tag. The adults were already lounging on the wooden decks under the huge oak tree in the backyard. The yard was dotted with colorful fairy lights, which created a festive ambiance. As the golden glow of the sun began to appear, the family gathered around the tables, ready for the treat of the day. 

The little chitchat at the tables was broken by the arrival of Aunt Theresa carrying the trays of food… As she started uncovering the dishes, a wave of anticipation swept across the yard. The perfectly smoked pork had been cooked slowly on low heat until it became irresistibly tender. Each guest went for the soft, golden brioche burns served alongside the shredded pork. Also available were a variety of toppings, including crisp pickles, tangy coleslaw, and thinly sliced onions. Guests could choose from a variety of barbecue sauces that ranged from sweet to spicy. As everyone dove into their sandwiches, a happy murmur filled the air. “This is incredible!” exclaimed Uncle Roberts as he praised the succulent pork. The young children, their faces smeared with sauce, eagerly lined up for more servings while the elderly shared stories of past reunions. The delicious pulled pork not only added a moment of joy and satisfaction, but it also opened a new chapter in my culinary interests.  

As I grew older, my interest in pulled pork expanded. I started visiting Aunt Theresa’s home frequently, where she taught me the secrets of her trade. She taught me how to choose the right pork, how to do balanced seasoning, and how to maintain heat in the smoker. This process needed more than preparation and patience and could only be possible with passion. 

It was not until I was 17 that Aunt Theresa first allowed me to take the lead for the first time. It was during another family get-together in the summer. I started by carefully seasoning the pork shoulder with our family’s blend of species, then proceeded to monitor the smoker. I adjusted the vents as I had been taught and moistened the meat using apple juice. By the time I was pulling the pork, it had already become tender (Summers, 2011). The praise I received from the family was like a rite of passage, which solidified my love for cooking. 

My culinary journey would grow to include other dishes and cuisines. I have so far hosted many dinner parties where I have experimented with different recipes from around the world. Although I have perfected my culinary art for Indian tandoori chicken, Mexican carnitas, and Italian porchetta, pulled pork has remained my signature dish. As I continue to grow my culinary experience, I still carry the memories of that first golden, savory pulled pork made by Aunt Theresa. 

PEER REVIEW OF ANNA’S MEMOIR “HOT PORTUGUESE BREAD AND BOWL OF HOT TEA” 

  1. In paragraph 3. I really enjoyed the description of your family and how everything started and the vivid detail you provided about each member of your family, it is pleasant to read and laughed at same time. 
  1. To me the main message seems to be How a particular food can be a great and distinct way to bring a family together and that your family did not leave it behind because it is a part of your culture 

The part that seems really emphasize me is the way your dad at the store would measure his arm from his elbow to his wrist and to tell the counter person what size bread he wanted.   

Paragraph 5 where you talk about how your mom would cut the bread and add butter that would drip down your finger and your chin accompanied by a bowl of hot Lipton tea with milk and sugar that descriptive and memorable. 

Your style of setting vivid description of your family was incredible, I loved it! Even I was a sad at the end to read about your mom, dad and 3 Brothers passing away. 

I loved how descriptive the essay is, like a friend opening about something personal and telling a story. 

I like the way you used the memories you had of your family to carry the tradition over to your family make your heritage known to them and I will treat myself with a slice of hot Portuguese bread and a cup of Hot Lipton tea!!  

In Love with Pork

I would not let go of pork. I could hardly tell whether it was its savory flavors, its golden crust, or its tender, succulent meat that captivated me, but one thing was for sure: there was no going back. The highlight of the menu that year was pork. Once I had tasted the pulled pork sandwich made by Aunt Theresa at the annual summer family reunion, I was bewitched.

I vividly remember the atmosphere of that summer evening as if it were yesterday. From the moment I stepped into my grandmother’s compound, it was as if I had stepped into a scene from a storybook. The air was filled with the laughter of children as they played tag. The adults were already lounging on the wooden decks under the huge oak tree in the backyard. The yard was dotted with colorful fairy lights, which created a festive ambiance. As the golden glow of the sun began to appear, the family gathered around the tables, ready for the treat of the day.

The little chitchat at the tables was broken by the arrival of Aunt Theresa carrying the trays of food. . As she started uncovering the dishes, a wave of anticipation swept across the yard. The perfectly smoked pork had been cooked slowly on low heat until it became irresistibly tender. Each guest went for the soft, golden brioche burns that had been served alongside the shredded pork. Also available were a variety of toppings, including crisp pickles, tangy coleslaw, and thinly sliced onions. Guests could choose from a variety of barbecue sauces that ranged from sweet to spicy. As everyone dove into their sandwiches, a happy murmur filled the air. “This is incredible!” exclaimed Uncle Roberts as he praised the succulent pork. The young children, their faces smeared with sauce, eagerly lined up for more servings while the elderly shared stories of past reunions. The delicious pulled pork not only added a moment of joy and satisfaction, but it also opened a new chapter in my culinary interests.

Ideas to write about for essay 1

Combining food, Family and Culture provides a rich tapestry of topics to explore

Here are some Ideas I will be writing about in Essay I

1- Family recipes and their origins

2-Cultural Fusion in Family Meals

3- Family Gatherings and foods

4- Immigrant Family food stories

5- Generational cooking

Food as a way to bring culture and family together and it is the most important thing in the world

Corn Tastes Better on the Honor System.

Analysis of “Corn Tastes Better on the Honor System” by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The title of the passage is “Corn Tastes Better on the Honor System,” which means that corn, as a product, tastes better if grown, traded, and consumed with integrity involving ethics. The “Honor System” suggests that food is trusted and purchased without supervision, suggesting that corn has more than just taste, though this is hinted at. Corn’s utilitarian value comes from its use as a moral and socially cohesive good.

This essay describes how there is more value and a better experience in food acquired and consumed by adhering to principles of trust, respect, and ethical practices, which foster a superior relationship with people and the physical world.

Purpose: After writing the article, the analysis focuses on the author’s fundamental thesis of how ethical practices and trust should be respected in agriculture and food consumption, such as limiting high-tech food firms and returning to community values. The essay’s author compares indigenous people’s farming to industrialized countries’ intensification to make readers think more critically about their meals and how they affect the earth and vegetables we eat.

Audience: The target audience is people interested in sustainable agriculture, environmental and food ethics, activism, and philosophic and contemplative nonfiction concerning plants and humans.

Genre: This essay is reflective and compelling non-fiction that tells the tale of one woman’s life, conveys the author’s worldview, and urges readers to think about the issue. The author uses vivid imagery, narrations, and analytical analysis to evoke emotions and challenge readers’ views of nature and their role in conserving it.

These sentences are somewhat ambiguous at first glance, and even inanimate objects like the corn and its distant relative Teosinte are personified, which might take a bit of explanation.

“I remember. How their songs drew us up through the warming earth just for the joy of hearing them.”

“Grandfather Teosinte has been gone for so long; where is that gentle guidance when we need it most?”

The comparison of corn to high-tech products, highlighting its self-sustaining, replicative abilities: ‘I have in my hand the fruit of genius, a product that fits into a hand and produces for itself a solar cell component’ (Kimmerer).

The historical context of corn’s domestication and its deep cultural significance: This resourceful part is located in the DNA found below the shiny seed coat; it is the creativity of corn mingled with the nurture of humans.

The critical view of modern industrial agriculture and its effects: For instance, current corn production requires more natural resources than any other crop being produced today.

“I hold in my hand four seeds in the colors of the medicine wheel: thundercloud black, solar yellow, pearly moonlight, and blood red.”

Explanation: This is an incredible method of communicating and describing the seeds, especially through the use of color that signifies indigenous culture and identity.

According to Kimmerer, “The Western science presupposes to be objective and excludes subjectivity from its calculations on purpose while providing purely mechanistic and strictly materialist accounts.”

Explanation: This particular sentence directly pits scientific rationality as a Western construct against indigenous epistemology, thus illustrating the danger of an either/or paradigm logic.

“Maize is the only food plant I know that is roughly the size of a human body in height; trees are much bigger, and most crops are even smaller, but maize and man-cropping are of comparable stature.”

Explanation: This metaphor thus serves to establish a humanized bond between humans and corn to illustrate the great bond that they share.

Works Cited

Kimmerer, Robin Wall. “Corn Tastes Better on the Honor System – Robin Wall Kimmerer.” Emergence Magazine, https://emergencemagazine.org/feature/corn-tastes-better/. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.

My first post TED talks on food

Without farmers, you’d be hungry, naked, and sober. Eric Sannerud underscores the indispensable role that farmers play in our lives by providing food, clothing, and alcohol without them we would lack of the essentials to survive and thrive. He emphasizes the economic and social impact of agriculture and advocates for sustainable farming practices stresses the importance of supporting local farmers to a healthier future. He concludes with a call to action ,urging people to appreciate and support farmers by being more informed about the origins of their food and making choices not to vote with their forks but with their votes. His insight on the economic impact of agriculture and sustainable farming practices made me realize how crucial is it to support local farmers and I plan to be more mindful of where my food comes from and spend less money .