The Two Stories

In stories of Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen, and Short Friday, by Isaac Bashevis Singer, it can be very easy to pick and point out the many differences that they have with one another, but there are several similarities that can be found throughout stories. One of those comparisons are religion point of views. It is very apparent in both of the stories how religious matters are an enormous importance in the characters lives. In Short Friday religion is mentioned everywhere. The first thing that was brought up about religion is the effort that Shoshe, Shmul-Leibele wife, took to study the Pentateuch. Throughout the story many rituals are expressed from the couple. Likewise in Babette's Feast the family is very much religious as well. The father called the Dean was the leader of a small Lutheran religious sect with a faithful following in the small town. His daughters, Martine and Philippa, were named after Martin Luther and Luther's friend Philip Melanchton. Both of the stories also bring up that after life there is Paradise, in other words heaven, and also that the what goes on in the earthy life does not have any effect in Paradise . In Short Friday "An angel of God had come to guide Shmul-Leibele …his wife..., into Paradise. This brings up that although the couple had mistakes before their death they are still going to Paradise. Paradise was shown in Babette's Feast when the family's maid creates a dinner and the daughters were amazed by the talents of the maid, which she long lost recognition of as well as those in her hometown. Philippa embraces the maid and assures her that her art is not lost, because in paradise she will be all God meant her to be. It is clear the in Paradise no one is every judged but only loved. Like the many similarities comes the many differences and one huge one is the difference in the wealth that are in both stories. In Babette's Feast the family was very much high class and in Short Friday, Shmul-Leibele and Shoshe only survived on Shmul-Leibele poor tailoring business. But with this big difference it is hard to avoid the similarity in between it. Although both stories material goods are different both express a deep love for those around them. Short Friday and Babette's Feast are to amazing stories that were a delight to read.

 

 

 

Tortilla Soup

In the movie Tortilla Soup, at the beginning, Martin, the father in the movie, show him making delicious and elaborate meals. Although Martin seems very cold and heartless his concentration on the details of the meals expresses his passion and love for the kitchen as well as those that he cooks for. When there was a disaster that accrued in the restaurants kitchen Martin was the first one to be called to resolve the problem. This shows how amazing he is at what he does in the kitchen and in the movie you can tell that everyone looks up to him and his talents. His over reactions and stubbornness also expresses his love for his daughters. For instance when his middle daughter, Carmen, makes an announcement that she will soon be moving out, he over reacts.

Further on in to the movie you begin to realize that Martin only looks for what is best for others. His tough love and stubbornness comes off as cruel to his daughters but when he starts to speak to his best friend, Gomez, which is the total opposite of Martin, about his troubles he starts to be calmer and let his daughters be more free, as well as support them in any decisions that they decide to make. He becomes more relax by mixing his Spanish and English together, something that I like to call 'spanglish." am thing that i rs spanish n, Martin, Like mentioned before Martin loves to cook for those he loves and he does this to win the heart of Yolanda. But he does this in a very clever way. Yolanda has a daughter, and every day Martin would bring the little girl food for lunch just to get closer to Yolanda and it worked, at the end of the movie Martin proposed to Yolanda. In the ended they show Martin at the dinner table happier than ever before seen in the movie.

Food and Emotions

English 102

Dr. McCormick

13 April 2010

Frances Duran

Although food can be characterized as a form of survival, can it also have more of a depth meaning to it? It has always been known that food and our emotions have constantly been connected, for instance when we are angry, mad, sad or even happy we end up always reaching for that big piece of chocolate cake that we end up regretting the next day. But what others may not come to recognize is that food and emotions have many ways of expressing themselves, this can be clarified in stories such as Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Espuirel, Odyssey book 11, as well as in poems like The Dinner Party by Peter Washington. Food and emotions, in majorly have also been said to have negative influences when associated. But that may not be entirely true, food and emotions can combine and create beautiful dishes or even memories. It can be apparent that when it comes to food and emotions much can be articulated, whether it is good or bad and that can be insinuated in numerous ways.

     Food has always been known as "any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, and promote growth" but it can sometimes be a form of emotion or feeling that we displayed to others (dictionary). In the story Like Water for Chocolate the cake that Tita had to make for her sister's wedding showed her true feelings of her thoughts on the marriage. After the fondant icing was done Nacha, the maid, acknowledged her feelings and said to Tita "…I know how you feel, so stop crying, you're getting the meringue watery, and it won't set up properly, go now, go"(pg 35Esquirel). Nacha insists that Tita get some rest. Alone in the kitchen, Nacha tastes the cake icing to see if Tita's tears have made it salty. At first the favor did not seem to have steered, but is suddenly it overcome with a sense of immense loss. She was so sick she could not attend the wedding. It was apparent that Tita feelings had fluttered on to the cake and there was no way around it. Eventually the guests begin to eat the wedding cake. Their bouts of vomiting proved that her sadness at the preparation of the cake was shown and the entire wedding party is ruined. Thus this expresses that even the way you prepare or present your food to others can also have a huge effect and demonstrates your feelings. At times I even see this at home. My mother, which I believe is the best cook in the world, at times slips up and sometimes burns the rice because either she is angry about something or just extremely tried that she forgets to check the rice.

“Why Eggnog at Christmas?”

    At Christmas time it is traditional to have the tree, the lights and of course the missile toe. But what about the traditional foods and drinks that comes with Christmas? In my family eggnog, one very well known traditional drink, is celebrated with Christmas. With its delicious flavor one cannot resist the taste. But many may ask why eggnog at Christmas? It has been going on for many years, but what is really the true meaning of having eggnog at Christmas time?

Drinking eggnog at Christmas is believed to go back as far as the early 1600s. Eggnog actually was a beverage that was common to the upper class in England during the 1800s. Eggnog, originally made with "nog," strong ale, and related to an English drink called "sack posset," which was made from a dry Spanish wine, eggs and cream, it was believe to be that eggnog at Christmas is a tradition that was brought to America from Europe. Some changes were made from the transaction of the eggnog; eggnog is related to various milk and wine punches. However, in America a new twist was put on the theme. Rum was used in the place of wine.

Like Lent, the 40 or so days before Easter, Advent, the 4 weeks before Christmas, is also a season of abstaining from many of the 'earthly' pleasures like rich foods. So in centuries past, there would have been a surplus of agricultural produce of eggs, cream, butter, etc. that could be consumed once Advent was over, that is, during the Christmas season, which, believe it or not, used to begin on Christmas day, not on the American Thanksgiving weekend.

Like mentioned before, eggnog contains things like eggs, cream and alcohol, previously in the form of beer or beer-like drinks, which would have been forbidden for the 4 weeks before Christmas Day. In addition, the fact that Christmas in most European and North American countries tend to be celebrated during the winter season, thick warming drinks would have been enjoyed more than long tall cool ones, like iced tea or beer.

Over all you can say that there are other popular drinks during the colder months such as hot cocoa or hot apple cider, but these drinks don't have a personality of their own the way eggnog does. Eggnog truly is a very social drink during the Christmas season. This Christmas when you drink a cup of eggnog, keep in mind the interesting history of the drink you learned about here. Sure, you'll still want to enjoy hot cocoa and apple cider, but Christmas just wouldn't be the same without a cup of eggnog