Blogging about food

 I have been blogging for four years. I started out writing in my journal as a part of therapy, and realized I had a talent for writing. I transitioned to writing my thoughts for an audience by starting a personal blog. I learned a lot about myself by putting my thoughts and emotions on paper, especially for all the world to see. I even had a few of my essays published. Each one led me to a new subject, and I have learned so much along the way.

This is the first time I've blogged about food. Well, one of my personal blogs revolved around a special dish I make...Jag. But that was sort of the background to the more personal story I was writing. This blog here is strictly about food, my thoughts on food, and aspects of food that I have learned in class. I like the idea of this food blog, and our discussion posts. It's interesting to learn about something in school, then reflect on it personally. By answering the prompts, I had to dig a little deeper than just spewing out what was on the tip of my tongue. I had to self-reflect while recalling what I'd learned in the class. The end result is that I learned things about my relationship with food that I'd never acknowledged before; particularly the emotional attachment involved with food. 

I have learned that a lot of my food choices are based on nostalgia, and mostly revolving around my grandmother. From the recipes to using her utensils, she is there in almost everything I make. 

I've also learned that even though I originally thought that I like to try new things, I really haven't done that too much. I try new things that I think I will like, not new things that I think I might not like. And a lot of that has to do with branding, or fear of the unknown, or weird barriers in my mind that I created for no apparent reason. And while reflecting on this realization, I have decided to look at food and dining differently. Well, it's not really a decision. I think it's impossible not to, after covering the material we have covered. I want to try more things. I want to learn about where food comes from. I want to know different traditions and how things came to be. What did people have to go through in order to get the foods I so easily take for granted? What will it take for me to change my ways, and eat more organic and healthy foods? I don't know the answers to these questions, and have no idea what the future holds. But, I feel I can say with certainty that I won't look at food the same way again.

That being said, I'll never stop eating ice cream novelties off the ice cream boat at the beach. I don't even like them, and I'm pretty sure they aren't technically food, seeing how many chemicals are added to a Choco Taco, but some things are just tradition!