Tag Archives: food

Yankees Eating Contest

Nationality: American

Occupation: Corporate Event Planner

Residence: New York, NY

Language: English

Text:

In 1919, during Yankees spring training in Florida, a Yankees player boasted that he could eat more spaghetti than anyone else on the team. His teammates did not argue with him, because they had seen how much spaghetti he could eat. Eventually, his teammates got tired of him talking about how much he could eat, so they arranged for a spectacle of a competition they were sure he would lose; they would have him compete in an eating contest against an ostrich. Somehow they set up this eating contest between a ballplayer and an ostrich, and in the end the ballplayer won. He passed out after eating eleven plates of spaghetti, and the ostrich ran away after eating seven, making him the winner.

Context:

My aunt told me this story, and she first heard it from her great-uncle Pete Sheehy, who is famous for being the equipment manager and clubhouse attendant of the New York Yankees for 50 years. Sheehy had not yet joined the Yankees in 1919, so he would have heard this story from other players or employees that he worked with. When I asked her if she had any folk stories to share, she said that there were tons of stories involving the Yankees that were famous and well known, and she listed some like Babe Ruth calling his shot and Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech, but then she remembered and shared this story as a more niche Yankee moment.

Analysis:

There are tons of stories about the New York Yankees in the early 20th century that have become legends, but almost all of those stories are about how dominant the team was and how great all of the players were. This story is not about a great player, nor is it even about baseball. It is just a bizarre story. However, the detail that the food being eaten in the contest was spaghetti jumped out at me. The Yankees fan base has always had a large Italian American population, and at the time of this story Italian Americans were a marginalized group. The fact that a member of the “Murderer’s Row” Yankees, which is often still regarded as the best baseball team ever, was Italian and ate a lot of spaghetti would be incredibly significant to the Italian American fans who were underrepresented at that point in time. Given how my aunt repeated numerous times that the food was spaghetti, it was clearly an important part of the story.

Don’t Hit a Dog with a Meatbun!

“If You Hit a Dog with a Meat Bun, the Dog Eats It and You Have No Food Now”

In Mandarin, the proverb is phrased as “用肉包子打狗，有去无回” (yòng ròu bāozi dǎ gǒu, yǒu qù wú huí). This mandarin phrase translates literally to: “If you hit a dog with a meat bun, the dog eats it, and you get nothing back.” The meaning behind the proverb is that once something is given away or invested in the wrong place, it is lost with no return.

I learned this proverb from my classmate C, who heard it from a Chinese friend with whom she has a close personal relationship. Her friend explained it to her in the context of making futile efforts—situations where people put in effort, time, or resources but receive nothing in return. C told me she found it humorous and practical, often using it in conversations when she or someone she knows feels like their effort has been wasted. For example, she mentioned using the phrase when lending money to someone unlikely to repay or when trying to argue with a stubborn person who refuses to change their mind.

This proverb reflects to me, a somewhat practical, yet humorous worldview, emphasizing the importance of knowing where to invest one’s energy and resources. The image of someone literally throwing a meat bun at a dog—only for the dog to eat it—is a vivid metaphor for wasted effort. The cultural value embedded in this proverb aligns with pragmatism, a notion that is deeply ingrained and enshrined in my perception of Chinese culture and their proverbs/folk sayings. From a broader perspective, this proverb connects to universal themes of loss and strategic thinking—understanding that not all efforts are worthwhile and that being mindful of where one invests energy is crucial. It also reveals a subtle caution against generosity without foresight, a theme in many folk traditions worldwide. The humor in the phrase makes it more engaging and relatable, allowing it to be used in everyday conversations while carrying deeper wisdom.

Date of performance: 2/11/2025
Language: English
Nationality: American
Occupation: Student
Primary Language: English
Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Apples & Honey: Jewish New Year Ritual

Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
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:

“Both my parents were Jewish, and at the new year—which, in Judaism, is a holiday in the fall when apples are in season—you cut apple slices, dip them in honey, and that will give you a sweet, prosperous new year.”

Context:

The informant, a California native from a fully Jewish background, grew up celebrating the Jewish New Year with her parents.

Analysis:

Eating apples dipped in honey is a Jewish tradition during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Their round shape symbolizes the cyclical nature of the year, while the honey’s sweetness represents hopes for a prosperous and joyful future.

Before eating, participants often recite a blessing expressing their wish for a “sweet new year,” reinforcing the ritual’s symbolic nature. For the informant’s family, this ritual was a celebration of their Jewish identity and means of passing down traditions to future generations. The timing, coinciding with apple season in the fall, also reflects the natural alignment between cultural customs and the regional produce available in California.

Taylor Ham vs Pork Roll

Nationality: American
Age: 47
Occupation: Homemaker
Residence: Morris Plains, NJ, USA
Language: English

Text:

“Taylor ham is North Jersey and Pork Roll is Central and South Jersey.  I grew up in Central NJ (Somerset County) so I grew up calling it Pork Roll.  There is no difference between the items.  I first heard it from my parents.  The Plaza diner in Morris Plains calls it Taylor ham but we are in North Jersey.”(LeRoy)

Analysis:

Knowing either of these is already a marker that one is from or has familiarity with New Jersey. This breakfast meat isn’t sold widely across the US, mostly in New Jersey and in a little bit of Pennsylvania. I interviewed my mother, who is a New Jersey native. She has moved around a little bit and gotten the whole experience of the importance of this debate. Where you are determines what it’s called and some people take it more seriously than others. This means if you order taylor ham/pork roll and call it by the “wrong” name for the region, some people won’t answer or will expect you to correct yourself. 

The importance of this debate is really a testament to where you are from. There is such a distinction between Central/South Jersey and North Jersey that this is part of the divide. There are many factors such as Mets vs Yankees, Jets vs Giants, Philadelphia vs New York, and Pork Roll vs Taylor Ham. There is pride in where you are from and where you live, so these debates are a healthier way to engage in this mock rivalry. Having pride for one’s home comes out in many ways, including healthy rivalry and one-upping. 

“Eddie’s Home”

Nationality: American

Age: 21

Occupation: Student 

Residence: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Date: 02/22/2025 

Primary Language: English

Language: English

Description: 

“In my family and other—I’ve heard it done other in other families too, but to like, signify or, like, tell somebody that they have something in their teeth, like at a dinner party or just like in public. You say that ‘Eddie’s home’. And you can be like Eddie’s upstairs, Eddie’s downstairs, Eddie’s upstairs in the left bedroom, etc.”

Subject’s opinion:

Subject:  I feel like that has a lot to do with, like Texas mannerisms and, like, politeness, because…you are like, very like, um…people pleaser, and, I don’t know.” 

Interviewer: Where did you first hear this? Do you remember? 

Subject: I think my family taught me, like, when I was little at the dinner table. Like I was told like, never to put my elbows on the table and that kind of stuff. So, like, as a…how to be polite, I guess.

Interviewer: Do you know why it’s called Eddie? 

Subject: No. I don’t. 

Analysis: 

Though the subject lives in Los Angeles, she noted that this piece of folk speech is deeply rooted in her family’s Texan tradition and highlights the American South’s great stress on social etiquette. The phrase itself—a code only understood by members of her community—reinforces presentation and politeness. It suggests that having something in one’s teeth is not only uncomfortable to oneself but also a violation of a collective commitment to cleanliness and sophistication. In this context, the phrase becomes a way to care for or protect someone, as it prevents them from potential embarrassment. It’s also clear that the subject was brought up in such an environment based on her reference to dinner table manners. The subject, however, displayed a degree of disillusionment towards her community, often putting on a dismissive attitude when discussing such practices. Though the subject did not elaborate further on these feelings, it’s reasonable to assume that she doesn’t entirely subscribe to her community’s commitment to upholding values on social etiquette. That said, the metaphorical code is incredibly vivid and engaging and left a strong impression on the subject. It’s an obscure yet potent piece of folk speech that not only reflects Southern values but also how and where the community engages in a rich oral tradition which “Eddie’s home” is only a small part of.