Introduction to Food & Beverage Management HMGT 1102 Fall 2013

Would you believe me if I told you where I am from? Jamaica, the 5th largest Caribbean island and Home of Dunn’s River Falls. Where the tropical air is hot and humid . Where I’m from the native dish is Ackee & Saltfish. To prepare the dish,salt cod is sautéed with boiled ackee, onions, Scotch Bonnet peppers, tomatoes, and spices, such as black pepper and pimento. It is often served at breakfast or dinner, served alongside breadfruit or even dumplings. My grandmother has been preparing this dish for my family way before I was born often on fridays. We often fight for who gets the biggest dumplings and the most serving of the ackee and saltfish. It is definitely worth trying at least once! 

If I told you my heritage brought me back to beautiful grassland, stunning architecture, and the most fertile land to find for miles- the constant desire of those around them- would you know I’m from Ukraine?

Would you know the story of Mama, my great grandmother, who was shipped by her parents to the United States at just thirteen years old? The wars had gotten so terrifying in the early 1900’s, her parents felt that their child was safest over 5,000 miles away from them. She was given her sister’s birth certificate- a 13 year old couldn’t cross the Atlantic Ocean, but a 16 year old could.

With her, Pauline Hrynyshyn brought the culture of her people to America. She married, had children (including my grandmother, Mildred), and unfortunately, died a week before I was born.

Where I’m from, we eat pedaheh. Also, commonly known as perogies.

The recipe has been passed down for generations. Mama made it with Midlred, Mildred with her children (my father, aunts, and uncle), and with her children’s children. The process takes almost 10 hours, and Mama would start at 6 a.m. sharp.

Pedaheh is similar to ravioli; soft dough which is filled (in this case, with potatoes, cheese, and various other items) and boiled. The first day, the stuffing is made. It takes approximately four hours on its own, peeling, slicing, and boiling the potatoes until they’re soft. Then they must be mashed and mixed with sautéed onions, cheeses, and butter, then left to cool (for 12 hours!).

The dough is made the next morning, through hours upon hours of hard labor- mixing and rolling and mixing and rolling. The potato mixture is placed in the center, the dough folded, and the pedaheh placed in water to boil.

It’s impossible to imagine a thanksgiving without pedaheh. Or a Christmas without hearing my grandmother speak of the countless attempts she has made to perfect these delicious pockets of flavor. Of her four children, my father is the only to successfully create pedaheh- “It’s all about keeping the dough folded,” he always says- and I am soon to learn.

Next time I have two full days to spare, that is.

If I said I was from Haiti, where we give French, African, Native American, and Spanish food our own West Indian flavor, would you know where I’m from? Haiti’s bakeries are filled with pastries, breads, and candy. One of our specialties are Haitian pâté (patty). We make our patties out of beef, chicken, smoked herring or codfish. If you want to use something else in the pâté you can. Pâté varies in smell and taste. In the stores the dough is usually store brought but the filling is made by them. When I make pâtés I start by making puff pastry dough from scratch. It is time consuming and requires a lot of patience. The first time I made it, it was a disaster, the butter was seeping through the dough but it still tasted good. The third time I made it, all of the butter stayed in the dough and it was near perfect. My mom help me make ground meat or herring to put into the pâté. The whole house smells like butter and bread. When it is done it is very flaky and has a lot of layers. When you eat it layer by layer it is layers of a light buttery taste and the meat has a delicious fresh spice to it. Eat it together and its love at first bite. Everyone that I gave this to loved it and was addicted to it.

If I told you I was from the Philippines, a place that’s very family oriented with a very lively atmosphere and celebrations that could last for days, would you know where I was from? Where I’m from we eat Dinuguan, a dish that can be eaten at any occasion but can be a little bit of a daring dish for those who have yet to try it. Dinuguan is a dish that has pork blood and pork meat simmered together with a hint of spice. In simpler words it is basically pork blood stew. We usually eat this dish with white rice or with steamed cakes called puto. This is a dish for those who love meat, as it lacks many vegetables. I can always make sure to get the best tasting dinuguan at home, where my mom makes it almost every weekend. As weird as it sounds, as the blood and the meat is simmering, the smell is so delectable and it gives me the feeling of home. Dinuguan is a dish that I love to eat and though others are a little wary of trying it, I can assure you it’s a dish worth trying.

Because they like my demeanor and they liked my family’s cooking, they’ve always wanted to  know where I was from.

If I said that I was 142nd and Brook Ave, towards the ending of the South Bronx where the smell of Lechon (roasted pig) cooked by Puerto Rican natives take over your nostrils, do you think they’ll know where I’m from?

Where I’m from Lechon is a traditional dish, we eat it for every special occasion. Lechon was a tradition from when slaves were in Puerto Rico and that’s all they had to eat. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Fathers Day, and family fun picnics is where you’ll find my mom or a family member waking up early in the morning to cook the pig. It takes at least 6 hours or more to make. I wake up sometimes to the smell of a roasted pig cooking in my oven. At picnics you can smell the pig being roasted on a stick over the smell of grills burning hot dogs and burgers.

Where I’m from the roasted pig is the first thing you’ll learn to make before rice.

If I said I was from Cuenca, Ecuador, where the darkness takes over and few lights shine the streets, from going down the hill to joining the loud block parties. To waking up to the sound of the rooster and the strong sunlight hitting your face, would you know where I’m from?

Where am from we eat Bolon Verde in the mornings, where I walk outside to the kitchen to be serve a warm Bolon Verde with a cup of warm cocoa prepared from the best cook I’ll ever know my mom.  Where she cooks the green plantains, then stuffs it with cheese or Chicharron (pork), or for a more amazing taste both ingredients mixed together. A simple dish that just contains four ingredients plantain, mozzarella cheese, chicharron, and butter. The salty taste of the plantain, and the crispy pork put together just takes me to a whole new world an wonderful and delicious morning experience.

Where after an amazing breakfast we walk around the yard and through the fruit garden to a sweet taste of fresh fruit grown and picked with our own hands.

If I said I was from La Ceiba, Honduras, the city considered the girlfriend of Honduras because of the beauty of the mountains, the place with some of the most beautiful beaches and rivers in the country and Central America, The place that hosts the most famous, fun and highly assisted parade in the country, A place that is equipped with many adventurous activities, let’s not forget about the delicious and delightful food, drinks and deserts would you know where I am from? Where I am from we eat Baleadas. Baleadas are flower tortillas folded on half filled with whatever you desire, usually they are filled with blended beans, scrambled eggs and feta cheese and a drop of cream along with a glass of rompopo which is made of blended eggs, milk, sugar, almonds and a hint of rum will make the food a total pleasure. When I was in La Ceiba, every friday afternoon that I got home from school the smell of the warm baleadas being made by grandma was like walking into heaven. The smell told me to throw my books to the side and rush to the kitchen and steal a tortilla from my grandma and always had a glass of sweet rompopo. Every time my mom makes baleadas it brings me back when I was a little kid and used to bother my grandmother to make me baleadas and rompopo every week. This  dish  makes me remember and identify myself of where I am from and keep my culture vivid in my persona.

If I said I was from Mexico, where in the mornings you wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread with a cup of coffee ready to be served in another hand. Where your surrounded by the ones you love from early in the morning till late at night. Having a variety of different pan de dulce but with the most favorable one my family asks for, would you know where I’m from? Where I’m from we eat pan de huevo commonly referred to as Conchas. I’ve enjoyed these tasty treats as a child with a cup of café con leche. Nothing can compare to the sweet and moist sensation you take a bite from. Its time consuming but worth having a sweet taste in your mouth. In any occasion you can eat this and it’s not so difficult to make as it seems. Where I’m from Its made by the ones who wake up at the brisk of dawn at the earliest light of the day. The person who made it the best would be my aunt when she tells stories as she places them in the oven.

If I said I was from Shanghai, China, where contours of ground buildings everywhere, sprawling lines of cars are on the all roads, and patient people with light smiles love their life, would you know where I’m from? Where I am from we enjoy Shanghai cuisine, which is cooked by the use of some  alcohol, soy sauce and sugar. Alcohol, soy sauce and sugar are just like three members of   “red cooking” family,which is most  popular cooking style in the east of China. Salted meats and preserved vegetables are added  frequently into the dishes, especially into the soup. One of  famous classical dishes is “sweet and sour spare ribs”, which can be found in all restaurants in Shanghai. This dish is made of traditional rich sweet and sour sauce and spare ribs with a little rice yellow alcohol. In my memory, my grandfather cooks the best. When I go back home after school, a familiar smell escapes out the door. Then, my stomach begins to work. My chopsticks stand by always. I believe it’s my favorite dish in my life. I recommend everyone to try it!

       If I said I was from Russia, where winters are long, cold and snowy, where New Year is the biggest holiday of a year with a huge tableful continuing for a couple of days, would you know where I’m from? Where I’m from we eat pelmeni. Pelmeni can be called Russian dumplings or ravioli. It is a piece of thin uneven dough filled with ground meat. It can be pork, beef, chicken and even lamb. There are manufactured and homemade pelmeni. For my family it was never a choice I refused to eat pelmeni from a supermarket because they never taste the same as my mom’s homemade pelmeni. It was a family tradition to make pelmeni almost every month especially during wintertime. Every member of my family had to do something. My dad prepared ground meat usually it was a mix of pork and beef with some onions, garlic, white bread and an egg to make it sticky. My mom did dough I always thought it is the most difficult part because dough has to have a very particular consistency. As for myself I did little balls from minced meat then all three of us put the ingredients together. When all the preparations were done my mom boiled pelmeni in a salty water and we had a big dinner.  There are so many things I love about pelmeni but most of all I love to eat them.