A Different Kind of Perfect

Ellie loved the family gathering at Lola’s house on Fourth of July. She loved Lola’s chicken adobo — chicken in a delicious sauce (酱汁). It was perfect. But this year, Lola asked Ellie to make the adobo by herself because she must visit a sick friend.

“But I don’t know how!” Ellie said.

“That’s why you should be in charge. ” Lola smiled.

Lola pulled out the ingredients (原料): chicken, onion and lemon juice. She explained how to make the dish and then left.

Ellie got started immediately. When the dish was cooked, she tasted it and added a little more of this and a little more of that until it tasted right.

“Now it’s like soup! I need more chicken.” Ellie said to herself, “But I have no time to go to the store. What else can I use?”

The doorbell rang as relatives started to arrive. Ellie wanted to cry.

Ellie opened the fridge (冰箱).

There's more of a connection between food and culture than you may think.

On an individual level, we grow up eating the food of our cultures. Many associate foods from our childhood with warm feelings and fond memories, tying us to our families.On a large scale, food operates as an expression of cultural identity, Traditional cuisine (烹饪法) is passed down from one generation to the next. Immigrants bring the food of their countries where they go, and cooking traditional food is a symbol of pride for their ethnicity (民族特色) as well as a means of coping with homesickness.

Many immigrants open their own restaurants and serve traditional dishes. However, the food does not remain exactly the same. Some ingredients needed to make traditional dishes may not be readily available, so the taste and flavour can be different from what they would prepare in their home countries. Additionally, immigrants who sell dishes have to alter the original dishes to satisfy a wider range of customers. Alterations to original dishes can create new flavors that still preserve the cultural significance of the dish.

What stays the same is the extent to which each country or community's unique cuisine reflects its unique history, lifestyle, values, and beliefs. For example, in China, harmony is a vital characteristic in almost every aspect of life. This is reflected in Chinese cuisine, where almost every flavour is used in a balanced way. Throughout history, Chinese people are of the belief that food not only needs to be nutritious but also needs to look appealing, so they put a lot of effort into decorating the dishes，with vibrant red as their traditional colour.

As the world becomes more globalized, it is easier to access cuisines from different cultures. We should not only accept our traditions through our culture's food but also become more informed about other cultures by trying their foods. It is important to remember that each dish has a special place in the culture to which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. Food is a window to culture, and it should be treated as such.

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