Roots and Recipes Final Draft

  "It was my grandmother's recipe, passed down to my mother, then passed down to me." My mother replied.  Paella, a Spanish dish that consists of rice, seafood, meat and other spices and ingredients. It is sort of like Spanish fried rice. All of the ingredients form a really tasty meal. When the rice hits your taste buds you immediately taste the savoriness of the spices. As you chew, the texture and flavor of the seafood brings this dish to a whole other level. The seafood tastes like a fresh catch, right out of the ocean. On top of that, the chickens flavor and consistency really stands out and completes the dish. This dish is very unique. I have never tasted anything like the way my family cooks it and I don’t think anything will come close to it. My mouth waters just thinking about eating Paella.

    My grandmother would cook Paella every Sunday after church when I was younger. It was a big part of my child hood. I would run around the house with my cousins then immediately stop when we past the kitchen, where my grandmother was cooking. The strong aroma, the sounds of crackling oil, and all the laughter and talking made me stop and walk toward the kitchen like I was in a trance. She would always let me taste her cooking to see if she needed to add or dilute anything. It made me feel special. She never really needed me; it was always flawless when she made it. Her cooking brought everyone together. My whole family would be there to share the meal. I had a great time bonding with family and friends. It has such a big impact on my life, I don’t think my family and I would be as close without these Sunday lunches. It was a stress free environment; everyone just had fun and enjoyed great food. When I eat Paella it brings back good memories and comforts me when I’m feeling down. It has a nostalgic appeal to it. Paella reminds that I can always rely on family. It is a dish that triggers positive emotions and clears my mind of problems.

   My grandmother passed down this recipe to my mother. "I've revised the original recipe; it adds a unique flavor to it. It leans more to my style of cooking." She has added quite a bit to the recipe such as deviled eggs on top and Portuguese sausage. It's different from the traditional dish. Although my grandmother and mother usually cook in unison, I enjoy either recipe. They’re both different but delicious in their own way. They are very proud of their dish. Filipinos are very prideful but also hardworking. You can really see how hard they work through the quality of the dish. This dish is cultural yet unique to our family.

    When people feel endangered, lonesome or weak they eat. They use food to bring them comfort. They will eat foods associated with positive experiences. They eat foods that bring them to their “happy place”. Paella is my comfort food. Paella to me is a dish with great history and sentimental meaning. I enjoy eating it. It brings me to a better place. It brings me back to my roots, my culture, and my family history. That’s something no other food can do.