Food, Identity, Culture: Final Video by Carmela!

Day 4: An introduction to Japanese and Chinese Cuisine

Today, we went to a Japanese restaurant in Concord called Moritomo and had some great Japanese food. I had some dragon roll and Teriyaki chicken with rice. The owner of this Japanese restaurant (Charlene) is a very nice lady from Beijing, China. 

After asking her some questions, we found out that she arrived to the US in 1990 and opened the restaurant in 2001. This weekend will be the restaurant’s 14th birthday. The restaurant was very clean and everyone there was very nice! I would like to visit again if I get the chance.

Overall, I think we all had an unforgettable day!

-Dorothy

For more pictures and other reflections on today, follow us on our blog at  foodidentityculture.wordpress.com

Day 3: Hispanic Cuisine and Tex-Mex

Today we learned food from Hispanic areas. Carmela and I talked about Spanish and Peruvian food. I made a presentation about the Spanish food and Carmela showed us some cool videos about Peruvian history and food. Around 11, we all went to another Mexican restaurant called El Jimador. We had a lot of fun together. We met Edu, a waiter at the restaurant.

We asked him some questions related to Mexican food and later on we all ordered some fajitas, burritos, tortilla soup, nachos...

And finally for dessert we all shared homemade 'churros'.

They were really really good !!
-Marta B.

For more pictures and other reflections on today, follow us on our blog at  foodidentityculture.wordpress.com

Franco-American Cuisine and Authentic Mexican in Manchester

Poutine

Today was different than all the other days because we got to go to two restaurants. I was in charge of leading the group at the first restaurant we went to, Chez Vachon. This restaurant is based on Food from Quebec.

The main dish and the dish I had was poutine. The dish from Chez Vachon definitely would be enjoyable to most people, but it was nothing like poutine in Quebec. The owner Jessica gave us a great history on why she chose that restaurant and how she thinks poutine came to be.

Photo by Marta

Afterwards we went to a Mexican restaurant where I had tacos.

The tacos were good, but what was out of this world was how big the milkshakes were!

I lost an odds are to Dave and I had to try and drink it all in one sip. I almost accomplished it but then the brain freeze kicked in… All in all day 2 was a success.
- Eddie E.

For other reflections, follow us on our blog on foodidentityculture.wordpress.com

Photo by Anthony G.

Food, Identity & Culture Day 1: New England Cuisine and The Common Man

Today was a successful day for the start of my groups project week. Our group spent time getting to know each other and learn what types of foods we all liked. It was great to hear all the different types of foods that were out there. We had lunch at the Common Man where we were able to talk to the culinary director Malik Hammond and get to know a little about how the business started.

  We learned how they prepare there food and the type of New England cuisines. I am happy with the project I chose and I’m looking forward to learning more.
-Anthony G.

Follow us on our blog foodidentityculture.wordpress.com

Think, Eat, Speak, Blog, Repeat.

What is the relationship between food and culture? How does the food we eat, and the way we eat it, reflect our own personal and cultural identity(ies)? What do poutine, shumai, mole, biryani, and Prince Edward Island Mussels have in common and what can these food items tell us about Bhutanese refugees in Concord and third generation Franco-Americans in Manchester? More importantly, when are we going to eat?!

Together with Ms. Gale and Ms. Coles, a handful of curious—and hungry—NHS students will be tackling these questions as we discuss, read, write, and eat our way around New Hampshire’s constantly evolving regional and international culinary scene. 

Students will begin their culinary journey locally, with lunch and conversation at the Common Man in Plymouth. From there, we will go on to explore New Hampshire’s Québécois past at Chez Vachon in Manchester, before reflecting on the Mexican and Japanese cultural presence in the region at such restaurants as El Jimador in Belmont and Moritomo in Concord. We will conclude the week with a visit to a Bhutanese-run Asian and African grocery store in Concord, where students will have the opportunity to taste and buy the ingredients they will need to contribute to that evening’s culminating group dinner. 

Through these restaurant outings, daily readings of memoirs, fiction, and cookbooks, interviews with cooks and restaurant owners, and nightly reflective blogging, it is hoped that students will come to a better understand of the personal and collective cultural significance of food in their own lives and in the region where they live.