Category Archives: Experiences

Hawaiian Food Flag

As one component of the final project for my AMST 202 class at Honolulu Community College this semester, students were asked to create a food flag. And as I’ve mentioned in this past blog post, I love food flags! A flag is a symbol of national identity – we salute flags, we sing to flags,Continue reading “Hawaiian Food Flag”

Farms are Cities

This past week I toured Kahumana Organic Farm on O’ahu as part of my broader research on urban food studies as well as prep for a student tour for my American Studies class. As part of our tour and tasting, I was guided by my friend and farmer at Kahumana, Rachel LaDrig — a MichiganContinue reading “Farms are Cities”

Global Family Meal

This semester I taught an online graduate level course on American culture to a mixed nationality group – two students from the University of Hawaii studying abroad in Tongji, China, and four students from Tongji who are about to study abroad in Hawaii at UH next year. Food became a way for us to talkContinue reading “Global Family Meal”

Boiled Peanuts 4 Ways

Today I decided to finally (after about 7 months of waiting) boil a bag of raw peanuts I bought while visiting family in Southern Georgia last summer. I currently live in Muncie, Indiana and nothing really comes close to quenching my thirst for these little tasty morsels. These ever so slightly salty hot pockets, when popped with your thumbs and forefingers at the seam, reveal two or three (four if you’re lucky) perfectly aligned and tightly nestled burgundy beans.

American Cocktail Map

Hannah Gregg at Buzzfeed has created a beautiful map and list of state-themed cocktails for when you’re doing some cross-country driving or listening to the vote count on election night. Keep in mind, these drinks are not the go-to for locals.  For example, no one in Indiana is drinking “The Refined Janet Guthrie (Sweet Tea Vodka,Continue reading “American Cocktail Map”

Homeless for Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was probably unlike yours – calm and quiet with almost zero hustle and bustle in the kitchen.  I spent the day making Thumbprint cookies with raspberry/cloudberry jam centers for men at The Sleeping Room (the local men’s shelter in Muncie, IN), before serving them dinner.  The menu: from-the-box stuffing, from-the-can green beans, 2 cans cranberry sauce,Continue reading “Homeless for Thanksgiving”

Meatballs: Italian, Iranian, and Ikea

I grew up eating small, thumb-sized beef meatballs microwaved from their frozen plastic bag and then dumped into a pot of 2 cans of 99 cent Hunts spaghetti sauce. It was heaven.