Aspirational Dining

[Abra]

Since I was taught, while working for the Cree nation, that potlatch was a war game, "the war without swords", I guess that would go along with culinary one upsmanship, of which I can certainly be accused.

Uh, is my own weird-food collection ripe for such entertainment? I can mail all that stuff to the first person who sends me a valid postal address, and then, I win! Oh no, I lose, because where will those candlenuts be when I need them?

[jamiemaw]

Since I was taught, while working for the Cree nation, that potlatch was a war game, "the war without swords", I guess that would go along with culinary one upsmanship, of which I can certainly be accused. 

Uh, is my own weird-food collection ripe for such entertainment?  I can mail all that stuff to the first person who sends me a valid postal address, and then, I win!  Oh no, I lose, because where will those candlenuts be when I need them?

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You may want to [note: language pack not required] light the way to your Potlatch with oolichan candles, Abra.

Potlatch was an early form of aspirational dining - there was a definite connotation of keeping up with the Jones or in this case with the orcas, ravens and spirit bears.

Edited March 24, 2006 by jamiemaw (log)

[jennahan]

My food aspirations reflect my general approach to life...live deliciously, and savour it to the max.

When i buy ingredients for my day-to-day cooking, my goal is not necessarily to fill my basket with the most chic ingredients, but the most flavourful ones. I refuse to buy asparagus, strawberries, tomatoes, etc out of season because they just don't taste very good, but I will pay extra for lettuce that tastes of something. I aspire to make my every day cooking full of love. My cooking is not necessarily beautiful to look at (which is why I would never post on the dinner thread), but that is not my goal. Nor is it multicourse or always very sophisticated, but I insist on cooking every meal at home from scratch with the best ingredients I can find, and cooking it in a way to try and enhance the intrinsic flavours of the basic ingredients. Often, if I'm alone, I simply have a cheese plate, but I insist on really good cheeses with poilaine toast or homemade bread, and a glass of decent wine. I don't turn up my nose at fast food...hey, McDonalds sometimes, in certain moods, really just tastes good. I really like going to starred restaurants, but I also like going to a nothing local place with great food.

I grew up with a mother who was a terrible cook. I had to learn how to cook growing up just to eat something that wasn't processed and was edible. I have a son and one of the most important things to me is to fill his memories of his youth with flavour. Yes, he eats osso bucco, braised lamb shanks, valrhona chocolate, etc...but my goal is that he remember a kitchen filled with enticing aromas, and food with flavour. I have him help me prepare food everyday. He is only 27 months, and when he sees me start to cook, he immediately pully his toddler chair up next to me and says "Help Mommy!". We make bread, make home-made pasta, pound pesto, make cookies and cakes together. He is a gourmet in the making, but that is not why I'm proud of him. ;I am most proud of him because he really ENJOYS eating, and actually realizes the difference between food with integrity, and bland, pre-packaged sources of calories. This is my greatest aspiration.