One of my favorite things about the University of Oregon, and why I decided to attend this school is because of the diversity on campus. With 10% of the student population being Hispanic, 6% Asian, 2% Black, and 14% students attending internationally, it’s clear that UO is a melting pot of different global influences. I love being surrounded by different cultures and ethnicities, and learning about traditions and customs with expansive histories.
Ultimately, the topic I enjoy learning about the most is food. Between the combination of spices, or recipes ranging from simple to complex, there is something so fascinating and tasty about the food traditions of different cultures and ethnicities.
Luckily there’s no shortage of delicious and unique eateries across campus and throughout Eugene. Of course, eating out at restaurants is nice, but there is something special about the meals shared between a family across a dining room table. The dinner table is where families come together to share a meal no matter how big or small and regardless of the occasion.
I was struck by a moment of sonder this past fall term with the realization that every student that walks through campus has their one-of-a-kind tradition related to sharing a meal. I was inspired to ask students about the important meals in their lives and how these dishes relate to their family traditions or their culture.
Home for the holidays
For senior advertising student, Grace Newlin, the holidays were on her mind when asked about important meals in her family.
“Holidays are when we really sit down at the same table and eat together,” said Newlin. “We tend to kind of eat our own meals and never really sit down at the same time. It’s holidays that mean a lot because it’s nice to see everyone together.”
For a lot of people, hectic schedules can get in the way of a shared meal between family members, and it’s those shared celebrations that bring people together. It’s also the shared excitement and anticipation of those favorite meals that direct people toward the dining table.
“My mom makes really good stuffing, and she always makes two versions because I don’t eat meat,” Newlin said about the dishes she looks forward to most. “We always have soup, and mashed potatoes and smashed potatoes, because some of us have different tastes.”
Even in a family full of different dietary restrictions and taste preferences, it was refreshing to hear that there’s always a dish on the table for everyone to enjoy.
Flavors across generations
Sneha Chopra, a sophomore double majoring in advertising and public relations, spoke about how her Indian culture has played a significant role in her favorite meals and memories related to food.
“I grew up in a big family with my mom, dad, my brother, and my grandparents living with us my whole life,” Chopra said. “Some of my favorite memories are watching my mom and grandma cook in the kitchen because Indian meals are so intricate and there’s so much to it.”
Often times in Indian culture, the grandparents will live with their grandchildren and act as role models and mentors, teaching them values and passing on family traditions.
“Growing up and coming home from school, the house would always smell like Indian food,” Chopra continued. “My grandma would stand on a stool and hover over the counter rolling out the roti dough or chopping up vegetables while she watches her Indian soap operas.”
Roti dough is a circular flatbread that is made using whole wheat flour that goes great with curries, stews, or lentil soups. These flatbreads are a popular side dish in countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, and many other countries throughout the world.
“I would probably say dahl,” said Chopra when asked about the dish that played a prominent role in her life. “It’s meant to be more of a plain dish to have when you’re sick or as a side dish, and it’s something that’s always been served on our dinner table.”
Dahl is both an ingredient and a dish, which is made from dried lentils or split peas and is created through the slow simmering process of breaking down the lentils with some flavorful spices. This soup-like recipe is frequently eaten with roti, rice, or other types of flatbreads.
“I feel like if more people knew about dahl it would be more celebrated,” said Chopra, speaking on the lack of awareness around the Indian food staple. “It’s just so good to me because it’s almost like the miso soup of Indian food.”
Meals throughout history
For senior advertising student Brandon Beltram, growing up with his mother’s cooking are some of his most treasured food-related memories.
“90% of the meals I ever ate as a child were made from her,” said Beltram. “We always ate a lot of healthy and affordable foods at home, which I’m really grateful for because a lot of people don’t get that luxury.”
Growing up with a stay-at-home mom, Beltram has a deep appreciation for all the effort his mom put into their family meals.
“Her full-time job is literally us,” said Beltram. “And that correlates a lot through her cooking and her devoting a lot of her time towards us, it just makes me feel close to her.”
One of Beltrams most favorite and comforting dishes came all the way from the Great Depression, and had stayed in his family since.
“When my great-grandmother was a child in the ’40s during World War II, they lived in Midwest America and were heavily affected by the Depression,” said Beltram. “One meal they always made, which they named Deputy Delight, was made with sausage, carrots, cabbage, and potatoes.”
He said this dish reminded him of his childhood, and he makes it whenever he’s missing home.
“It’s a really basic dish because that’s all they had to work with,” said Beltram. “But as times got better they didn’t need to rely on it anymore. However, that’s a family tradition that has extended all the way down to my household.”
Regardless of the simplicity of it, this dish was a staple in the Beltram family through tradition and history alone.
“It means a lot to me and my family whenever we make it,” said Beltram. “It just has a huge smell with all those combined flavors, and it’s a very family-oriented meal for us and it really hits home for me.”
I was inspired by the answers I had received and started to think about my own ethnicity and traditions surrounding food.
One of my fondest memories is making cheese borag with my Armenian grandmother every Thanksgiving. Cheese borag are buttery pastries filled with an assortment of cheeses and parsley cooked to flaky perfection. Every Thanksgiving, I sit down at the dinner table with my grandma and we go through the slow and meticulous process of laying out our phyllo dough, buttering up our fingers, and folding our cheese-filled pastries into perfect triangles to be baked.
You wouldn’t know I’m Armenian by looking at me, but I love interacting with my culture through some of the iconic Armenian food like Dolma, Lahmajun, and Armenian string cheese which are always served as an appetizer at any family get-together.
The ability to share a meal is one of my favorite elements of food, and I’m always so fascinated to learn about different cultures and gain new experiences through taste and smell.
For some individuals, the celebration of holidays plays a big role in bringing family together around a table with a bountiful feast. For others, their fondest memory of food may relate to their childhood and reside within their favorite dish or could be directly related to their culture and the traditions that come with it. No matter the reason, food is meant to be shared.
