High On The Hog: Cultural Power Of Food

 

I started to watch the show High On The Hog with my roommate because it is the focus of the February sermon series my pastor is doing. We have gotten 3 episodes in and it has been fascinating learning about the history of African American cuisine and is a combo of food documentary and cultural documentary that is challenging to explain but I would recommend watching.

It also got me thinking about my own food heritage and how I was not the recipient of many cultural cooking skills or recipes. Or if I was the cultural significance was never pointed out to me.

I have distant heritage including Polish. Swiss, German, Romania, Russian, French, Austrian, and Hungarian but would struggle to name one food from any of those countries outside say swiss cheese (though I don't really eat it) or pastries for France (which I eat because they are yummy but don't cook) My Jewish roots probably are the closest I get and honestly that really is just eating latkes and matza.

I also know it is not simply a case of looking up a few recipes from each country and calling it a day. Since I really don't feel any cultural connection to my heritage countries making a random recipe is not the same as making one that has been passed down for generations or which feels like it connects me to others.

My experience of the cultural power of food is very different from that of the show High On The Hog. But the show has reminded me how limited my food preferences tend to be and has made me want to start thinking about how I can diversify what I eat and possible use it to feel a great cultural connection to others.