The Food Experience (portfolio)- Ashley Crowe

As I sat at the table staring at this horrid, unrecognizable pile of mush on my plate, I wished that I had a mom who could make a dinner that actually appealed to human tastes. This was a thought I had in my youth, perhaps a little too often. You see, my step mom was raised in a very poor part of Wyoming. Due to this, her parents had to find very unique ways to make meals that fit the budget. Unfortunately, this practice stretched across the generations into my step moms food repertoire and devastated our family meals. I knew we weren't financially gifted while growing up, but we weren't dirt poor either, so I never understood why she resorted to these food abominations that even the family dog would leave untouched, these atrocities known as casseroles.

My mom would never warn me when she was planning to cook these crimes against the human taste bud, but soon I could detect the various scents of food that should never be forced to share the same dish. Sweet green beans that if cooked in any other fashion would be a crisp, juicy, delicious side dish. Baked chicken which would be a delectable main course if not for it's mushy and creamy counterparts. Graham crackers had absolutely no business in this dish, but alas, my stepmother was not clued into this fact. Even something as delicious and creamy as homemade gravy was carelessly tossed into this food travesty acting as a sort of glue to hold this disgusting dish together. For an average household, these smells lingering in the air might mean a delicious dinner consisting of perfectly grilled chicken with heavenly homemade gravy and fresh cut green beans, but my stepmother made sure this plague of humanity did not die with her childhood.

To be fair, I'm not exactly the best judge when it comes to food. Growing up I had a very particular palette. If I had my choice, my diet would've consisted of nothing but peanut butter and jelly, Kraft macaroni and cheese, cereal, cheese, and pizza. To make matters worse, I can't stand when certain foods touch and contaminate each other. This probably contributed more than anything else to my hatred of these goopy, chewy, smelly dishes. The nights on which my stepmother made these casserole dinners were my worst nightmare.

I went to take my mandatory fist bite to assure my parents that I indeed still didn't like casseroles. I regretted every moment because I knew that nothing had changed. “If I didn’t like it last time what makes my parents think I'm going to like it this time” I thought. Every second seemed to be longer than the last. I could see my hand coming towards my mouth with a spoonful of this horrid goop, every inch of me screamed “Don't do it!” but I had to keep moving. As the spoon finally entered my mouth, I tried not to gag as I felt the intense slime stick to the sides of my mouth. The chunks beating against my tongue and the taste of dirt with milk and the dry dull taste of bark mixed with the grainy texture of sand. I knew all I could do was breathe deep and try to ignore the urge to vomit all over the table. I finally shut my eyes and forced myself to swallow. One big gulp and its finally gone but the taste still lingered in my mouth. I proudly showed my mom I had finally done the impossible and swallowed the spoonful and joyfully asked to be excused. I would happily scoot my chair out as quickly and quietly as humanly possible. I rushed to the kitchen and dumped my plate full of this ungodly mess in the sink. I reached for a glass from the cupboard excitedly, knowing what was in store. I threw open the fridge door and grabbed the nearest jug I could see and poured the bright green liquid into my glass. Lime flavored Kool-Aide, the only substance powerful enough to cleanse the taste of casserole from my mouth. The liquid would hit the top of the glass and I would chug as fast as I could. I could feel the ice cold liquid fill my mouth and glide down my throat. The taste of sweet green gummy bears swept away the last lingering taste of the nasty dinner that was neither a solid or a liquid. As I took the last big gulp I started to feel a slight smile come across my face. I would set my cup down and realize it’s all over... This time.

Though I am not found of these memories, I am thankful for what those dinners have taught me. First, no matter how hard my parents or I tried, there are just some foods I can never like. Second, sometimes shitty situations happen and there is nothing you can do to get out of them. All you can do is take a deep breath, close your eyes and force yourself to swallow because at the end of it all, you will be able to set your cup down and be able to smile.

Sustainability of Honey (Remixed Essay) -Kirsten West

There are many foods which are considered to be sustainable. To me, sustainable means to preserve. If a food item comes from a home grown place in which it is taken good care of, it’s considered to be sustainable. For example, tomatoes that are grown fresh from a garden are sustainable, or eggs from a farm are also sustainable. I took a further look at one food item, honey. I took a trip to three grocery stores: King Soopers, Walmart, and Vitamin Cottage. I noticed that there were many different brands of honey, along with other food items that said they had honey as an ingredient.

How can we tell if the honey is sustainable? I looked at mass produced brands such as Kroger, and I noticed that both brands did not specify exactly where they process their honey, so therefore you don’t know exactly if it’s sustainable or not. At King Soopers, I found a brand called Ambrosia. Ambrosia has a label on the back that says, “Our honey is processed in a pesticide free farm,” which means it’s sustainable. At Walmart, I learned that the Capilano brand is the market leader of honey in Australia, and has premium quality honey products produced by Australian bee keepers. The company's heritage spans over 55 years, and generations of Australian bee keepers who have grown up producing honey, take care of bees which make it sustainable. Last, The Agave Nectar honey was the only product in Vitamin Cottage that is sustainable because it originates from Colorado Springs, and they are a local farm that takes care of the bees to ensure that the hives are safe from damage.

Although there are many different brands of honey, there are also loads of food which are said to have honey in it, or honey flavoring. General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios

and Nabisco Teddy Grahams are mass produced products. They both contain no facts about where the honey comes from, so in this case it’s hard to tell wether or not they contain honey or if it’s sustainable. Other food items such are Arizona Green Tea with Honey, or Honey Gold Fish, but have no honey in them, just sugar.

Sugar is the main ingredient in honey, but honey produces its own sugars which makes it natural. Sometimes it’s very difficult to tell if the ing

redients in food are sustainable, but others can be easy if you put in a little research.

Food For Thought: Final Draft

By Lindsey Jones

I sit down in my favorite seat at my favorite restaurant. Squirming with anticipation I wait impatiently for my food to arrive. Although I’ve been to Katie Mullen's many times before, until now I have always ordered the same dish; today is different as I’m feeling exceptionally adventurous. My dish finally arrives, the restaurant calls it marinated mushroom and rice, and looking at it I instantly realize that I’ve had this dish before. However, I cannot recall the exact time and place of the previous consumption. I take my first bite and I’m instantly transported back to my childhood in my mother’s warm and inviting kitchen. Although the dish I remember was always called beef stroganoff, the feelings it evokes are entirely the same; happiness, love, and warmth. One may argue that the sense of smell is the strongest sense tied to memory, and I find it entirely arguable that food may be the strongest tangible object tied to memory. What else can so effectively bring about instantaneous memories of people, places, events, and feelings, not to mention complete recollections of the dishes with which it was served?

Christmas is among my favorite holidays. The overall feelings of joy and good will toward man are cliché, but nonetheless true. More important, however, is the feeling of togetherness and celebration of family and friends, which is all the more compounded by food. As trivial as the idea may seem, nothing says “Christmas” more to me than the snacks, treats, drinks, and delicacies served all throughout this one very special day. A Christmas with my family always consists of a feast fit for kings including succulent honey baked ham, cheesy Christmas potatoes that are golden and crunchy, steaming apple cider lightly spiced with rum, and other such delicious delicacies. The memory of such foods always hits home and makes me long for a family gathering. While I may forget what present I gave to whom, or what I received, I never forget my favorite dishes, or the sense of fulfillment at seeing my family gathered around, laughing, enjoying each other’s company, and marveling at the fantastic food!

Of course, the prowess of food is not only limited to holidays. Gatherings for graduations, for example, wherein wholly-different-than-holiday foods are served, have exactly the same effect. Bar-be-cue is hardly a favorite at Christmas or Thanksgiving, but firing up the grill certainly brings people together. There’s something about the sweet smell of marinating ribs and the cool crisp crunch of the vegetable platter that uplifts the spirits of everyone in attendance. Even under some circumstances in which people are unfamiliar with each other, plates full of happiness have a certain way of easing tension in an otherwise uncomfortable crowd. Perhaps it is the food itself that reminds them of other friendly get- togethers and puts them at ease. Whatever the case, less than enthusiastic guests become wrought with the desire to praise fantastic concoctions from those who might have otherwise been offered less than the time of day.

Great food certainly has its niche in society as a bringer of joy and companionship, but what about bad food? In relation to memory, one never, ever forgets the place he or she went and was sickened by the food. Bad food seems to stick to one's memory like a goopy casserole to my mother's dishes. The memory of the food remains prominent and sometimes even recalling the memory can bring an uneasy feeling to the stomach. For instance, I once visited the restaurant Chili's and was fed a less than desirable chicken entrée. The inside of the chicken was pink and appeared undercooked. Although I had eaten at the restaurant plenty of times before and received nothing short of gourmet dishes, after my bad experience the thought of returning there makes me cringe. Foul food definitely leaves its mark upon our memories. Despite a restaurant’s hordes of other menu items or the praise given it by those you come into contact with, said restaurant will forever be tainted in the soul of an ill-fed patron.


Of course, even good food can take its toll, as nearly everyone has a story about a particular food he or she gorged on to the point of madness, and, consequently, would refuse even if told to eat it at gun-point. Take my mother for instance. She often likes to tell the story of when she had been a broke college student and bought a horde water chestnuts. She loved the chestnuts and they were cheap so they were the only thing she ate for two weeks straight. After the two weeks of gorging she became repulsed by them and to this day she picks them out of her Chinese food. Even the crisp crunch and watery aroma of someone else sinking their teeth into a water chestnut transports my mother back to a time of stomach cramps and overwhelming disgust. It is miraculous how once a food is on your hit list you can retain a life-long contempt for the very food that you once cherished.

Consider a time when a friend or family member randomly invited you out for a meal, and while you really didn’t want to go, you had one of the best times you can remember. The moment you sank into a meal fit to wow even the harshest critics, you suddenly couldn’t remember why you didn’t want to leave home and your Hot Pocket in the first place. Take for example, my reluctant visit to my friend Mandy’s house. I was nervous because we had not known each other long and she was inviting me over for dinner during which I would have to meet her family! Not good at meeting new people, I desperately wanted to avoid the situation. However I did not want to ruin my new found friendship so I attended the dinner against my better judgment. Once her mother brought out the main dish of chicken tetrazzini I began to forget all that worried me prior to the dinner. The dish was delicious with grilled chicken, sauteed mushrooms, onions, cheese, and zucchini baked to perfection with noodles in a cream of mushroom sauce. After I had taken my first bite all my apprehension melted away and I thereafter spent countless nights dining with Mandy and her family. Such is the power of food! It is ever seductive, enticing, mouth-watering, and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to things that are forever bound to memory.