Category Archives: Foodways

Feeding Birthday Cake

AGE: 21

DATE OF PERFORMANCE: 4/19

LANGUAGE: English 

NATIONALITY: Canadian 

OCCUPATION: Student 

PRIMARY LANGUAGE: English 

RESIDENCE: Westlake Village 

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Interviewer: What’s a tradition you and your family have done during the holidays or certain celebrations?

SA: “One small but meaningful tradition in my family happens during birthdays. I only recently learned that this is an Indian thing–but the person whose birthday it is feeds cake to the people closest to them, and they get fed cake by those same people. It’s a simple act but deeply rooted in affection and closeness.”

Interpretation

A lot of the rituals, superstitions, and other traditions that SA had described to me in her family and her culture surround concepts of love, devotion, and affection. I think it’s so beautiful that there are so many distinct rituals that surround the concept of love and adoration. The only rituals or traditions I can think of at the moment in American society is either Valentine’s Day or someone’s anniversary. But on the topic of birthday rituals, in Korean culture it’s typical that the person’s family will make them birthday soup. The next chance I get to interview SA, I would love her to expand on how she found out it was an Indian tradition and whether she would like to continue this tradition with her family in the future. Since it involves cake, did this tradition begin as the modern world developed or has cake replaced something else used in the past? Either way, what a beautiful and familial tradition.

Incense and Temples

AGE: 21

DATE OF PERFORMANCE: 4/19/25

LANGUAGE: English, Chinese

NATIONALITY: American, Taiwanese 

OCCUPATION: Student

PRIMARY LANGUAGE: English 

RESIDENCE: Los Angeles 

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Interviewer: Does your culture have any stories of superstitions or superstitions themselves?

AC: “Don’t leave chopsticks straight up and down in rice because it looks like incense sticks which are usually reserved for rituals at temples.”

Context

Before the question asked above, I had also asked AC the following question:

Interviewer: Are there any distinct festivals or rituals you grew up around or attending when you were growing up? Are there any now? 

AC: [she lists out] “Chinese Lunar New Year, Autumn Festival, Taiwanese Folk Religion events… [she adds context] FYI my immediate family are 7th day adventist Christians but my family in Taiwan worships a local folk religion, and they’re very religious. My family owns and operates several temples in our hometown Tainan, Taiwan.”

Interviewer: What is it like for your family to own several temples? Are there any distinct rituals or celebrations your family does at the temples?

She then proceeds to answer the question, but this part of her answer is the context of the proceeding text above:

AC: “…what you usually do is…when you arrive at the temple, you light incense and then place it like up and down into this bowl/stand. Then you pray standing up…”

Interpretation

My immediate family and I are the least religious people. Technically, we’re Christian, and when I was younger my mother, sister, and I would go to Korean church, but we stopped going once my sister and I started playing sports. Although AC is not particularly religious herself, and her family is part of a completely different religion than their extended, AC has in-depth knowledge and experience with temples and how folk religion affects and works within smaller communities. The concept of bad luck by placing chopsticks straight up in rice connects with how her family’s temples operate. Why would you pray if it’s not in the proper setting and with the proper intention? My guess as to why it’s bad luck is because it might attract bad spirits or maybe upset the spirits that people pray to. It connects again to what we learned in lecture about the importance or folklore behind up and down.

Wedding Soup Noodles

AGE: 21

DATE OF PERFORMANCE: 4/19/25

LANGUAGE: English, Chinese

NATIONALITY: American, Taiwanese 

OCCUPATION: Student

PRIMARY LANGUAGE: English 

RESIDENCE: Los Angeles 

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Interviewer: What’s a tradition that you and your family have done during the holidays or certain celebrations? This can include holidays, birthdays, weddings, funerals, etc.

AC: “Weddings are huge in my family, so the day of the wedding there’s this thing called wedding soup noodles. It’s like sweet/sour soup and mushrooms and seafood in a thicker soup. Noodles are also thicker. Also the bride still wears white!”

Context

AC and her nuclear family are the only ones from the rest of their family that is currently in America. The rest of her family (her extended family basically) all still live and reside in Taiwan.

Interpretation

I had never really heard of wedding soup noodles before, so this was definitely really interesting to hear about another tradition in Asian culture. Although, I think if I was to ask my family there would probably be a lot of wedding traditions also in Korean culture. The wedding traditions I know of are more ritualistic and concerned with what you wear. But, after some quick research, noodle soup is also a thing in Korean wedding culture! A lot of traditions overlap across Asian cultures, so it makes sense that there also includes “wedding soup” in Korean weddings as well. I’m not sure if I’ve ever ate these wedding noodles since my family leans more on the Americanized side and I honestly cannot remember the last time I went to a wedding.

Blessing the Fleet: A Family’s Springtime Tradition

Nationality: American
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired
Residence: Alameda, California

Informant Information:

Age: 73

Date of Performance: 2/26/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: English

Residence: Alameda, California

Text

“Many of the years of my childhood were spent near the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The region was settled by the French in the early eighteenth century, and their Catholic influence still prevailed in many festivals. Every spring, there was a blessing of the shrimp boat fleet in Bayou La Batre, in the bay near Mobile. We went several times and watched as the local Bishop, in all of his spring regalia—pectoral cross, mitre, and crozier (his staff)—blessed the fleet. My mother adopted the celebration for our family of seafood lovers. On the designated Sunday, she and her friend Ruth would prepare a big feast of fried and boiled shrimp, gumbo, Cajun potato salad, and fresh strawberry shortcake. The “Catholic” way to make the shortcake was not with cake and ice cream, but with seven layers of a large crispy wafer, interspersed with strawberries and topped with whipped cream.

Though we were not Catholic, we would always have Father Ryan at the table, decked out in his finest French Cassock to offer the blessing and, of course, stay for the meal. Most of the time, Father Ryan was known to us as “Tim,” one of my father’s Friday night poker buddies, who never even had a collar on then, much less the cassock. Afterwards, we sang some fun songs that I always thought had something to do with the shrimp boats, as there were lyrics about seamen, stormy nights, and high-seas adventures. Later in life, I discovered that these were traditional sea shanties that were just put into service for the blessing festival. I guess there aren’t a lot of songs about shrimp boats.”

Context

The informant grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where the French Catholic influence lingered in the community and shaped local traditions. One key tradition was the blessing of the shrimp boat fleet in Bayou La Batre, an event that became central to the informant’s family celebrations. Despite not being Catholic, the informant’s mother embraced the spirit of the festival and made it her own by preparing a lavish seafood feast, inspired by the flavors of the region. The presence of Father Ryan, who was also a close family friend, added an extra layer of warmth to the tradition. Father Ryan, often known to the family as “Tim,” would wear his cassock, a long, close-fitting black robe traditionally worn by Catholic clergy during religious ceremonies. This garment, which typically reaches the ankles and is a symbol of his clerical status, added a sense of formality to the celebration. The informant’s family would gather around the table for the blessing and feast, sharing in the joy of the event. After the meal, they sang traditional sea shanties, songs originally associated with sailors, that were adapted for the occasion. These playful tunes, centered on themes of seafaring, storms, and adventure, became part of the family’s unique celebration of the shrimp boat blessing. The informant’s family embraced the blending of community and personal rituals, transforming the tradition into something special for their own family.

Analysis

This celebration reflects the intersection of cultural influence, local customs, and familial bonding. The Catholic tradition of blessing the shrimp boat fleet becomes a fusion of community and personal ritual, as the informant’s mother adapts the event to fit their family’s love for seafood. By incorporating Father Ryan into the meal, the family also bridges the gap between the religious and the secular, celebrating with a blend of formality and familiarity. The food itself, deeply rooted in the region’s seafood culture, becomes more than just sustenance—it serves as a connection to the environment and a symbol of the family’s traditions. The sea shanties, originally created for sailors, offer a playful connection to the world of shrimping, and the informant’s discovery that they were traditional songs only enhances the sense of communal heritage. The family’s adaptation of the blessing, complete with a festive meal and singing, shows how traditions can be transformed and passed down, enriching family life and reinforcing connections to both the past and the present.

Christmas Eve Festival: A Jewish Family’s Holiday Celebration in Northern California

Nationality: American
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
Residence: Alameda, California
Language: English

Informant Information:

Age: 63

Date of Performance: 2/18/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: English

Residence: Alameda, California

Text

“I grew up in the East Bay, and we didn’t have any family here except my immediate family. The rest lived on the East Coast. For Christmas Eve, we celebrated with, I think, five different families. Every year, it was always the same. My parents were in charge of bringing mulled wine, which is hot wine that you make by buying a gallon of cheap wine and heating it up with a cinnamon stick and raisins. It would warm up, and the flavors would mix together. I don’t know why that was the drink for our family to bring every year, but each family had to bring the same thing every year. Then, there was this amazing crocodile bread we had to bring. It was probably about three feet long, and there was a bakery in Berkeley that made this bread once a year for Christmas Eve. The bread had an open mouth, a long body, a tail, and frosting for teeth, eyes, and nostrils—it looked like a crocodile! That bread was the special Christmas food we always brought. We would go to a house in Oakland that was decked out with Christmas decorations, and the hostess, who hadn’t been raised with Christmas traditions, still threw a big Christmas party. She would bake endless types of Christmas cookies—so many different kinds! There was always a big ham, and after we ate, we’d sing the same Christmas carols every year. There were five different families, and people came from all sorts of places. Someone played guitar, and my dad, who didn’t have the best singing voice—our parents were Jewish—knew every Christmas carol ever written! He knew every single verse. We think it was because they sang Christmas carols in schools, or it could be because there were so many Irish people in his hometown on the East Coast, and they probably taught him the songs. But he loved Christmas carols—he loved everything about Christmas!”

Context:

For the informant, Christmas Eve was not just a holiday—it was an annual festival of community, food, and music. Growing up in the East Bay with most of her family on the East Coast, her family would celebrate Christmas Eve with five different families, creating a diverse, multicultural gathering. This festive evening was packed with an array of unique foods and drinks, and every family contributed to the event. Among the distinctive offerings were mulled wine sweet, warming, and aromatic and the ever-popular crocodile bread from a Berkeley bakery, which added a whimsical touch to the festivities.

The gathering was an immersive celebration of tradition. The event took place in a house in Oakland that was elaborately decorated for Christmas, creating a magical atmosphere for all the guests. Despite the hostess not being raised with Christmas traditions, she embraced the celebration with enthusiasm, baking a variety of cookies and ensuring the spirit of Christmas filled the home. The annual singing of Christmas carols, led by the informant’s father, was the heart of the festival. Though their parents were Jewish, the informant’s family had adopted this holiday celebration, seamlessly blending cultural and familial practices to create a unique tradition that persisted for years.

Analysis

This Christmas Eve celebration embodied the essence of a festive community gathering. More than just a holiday meal, it was an annual ritual where food, music, and tradition blended to create a joyful experience. The mulled wine and crocodile bread became emblematic of this celebration—a fusion of local flavors and whimsical traditions that felt both festive and personal. These foods carried a sense of belonging, offering a taste of Northern California’s regional character and the informant’s own family’s unique take on the holiday.

The Christmas carol singing, led by the informant’s father, turned this gathering into a communal festival, where even those with no formal musical training became part of the celebration. The ritual of singing carols deeply familiar to the informant’s father due to his East Coast upbringing added a layer of cultural continuity, connecting their family’s present-day traditions with his childhood memories. This annual event wasn’t just about food or carols; it was a coming together of families from different backgrounds, all participating in the festive spirit and creating their own hybrid celebration of Christmas.

What stands out about this tradition is the blending of cultural influences. The informant’s Jewish family adopted aspects of a Christian holiday, transforming it into a vibrant, inter-generational festival that created new customs that reflected the informant’s family’s diverse community and personal history. This tradition illustrates the power of food, music, and togetherness to shape a family’s identity and how rituals evolve and adapt to new contexts, reinforcing the importance of community and connection during the holiday season.