Food: Can It Unite Us?

It’s easy to focus on the things in life that divide us. Whether it’s politics, religion, or people’s favorite reality TV star. But what about the good stuff that binds everyone together? Food is something that we can all agree on. Food is enjoyable to everyone, and eating with others is one of the oldest forms of bonding. Breaking bread with others brings you closer to them and can help you learn from them. As Frank Costello in The Departed (if you haven’t seen it, go watch it now) memorably puts it, “You can learn a lot watching things eat.”

Food in My Experience

Manchu Han Imperial Feast displayed at Tao Heung Museum of Food Culture.

I personally love food. I’ve always been a fan of trying new things and exploring different culinary cultures. I’ve never seen the appeal of eating grubs and different mammals’ genitals – that sort of thing is just for shock value and I’m not into that. Same goes for ridiculously spicy peppers and hot sauces. If you need to sign a waiver to eat it, it isn’t for me. I like being able to take in the textures and subtle flavors of the new things I try. A fat bug with the texture of raw egg and a hot sauce that incapacitates you aren’t things that allow for any nuance. If you’re looking to impress people with how brave you are by munching on weird junk you’re in the food game for the wrong reasons. Now, I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular food culture, nor am I a snobby restaurant critic. I enjoy the common ethnic cuisines that can be found in the US. I’ve been to the Caribbean a couple of times and have enjoyed all of the food I’ve had there as well. All that having been said, it’s always an enjoyable experience sharing a meal with others and comparing opinions on the food.

People can come together over a meal and agree on the positive vibes the experience offers even if they disagree on almost everything else. I’ve had experiences with friends with whom I disagree on politics, religion, and other big topics. We can make the environment of the restaurant and the flavors of the food the topic of our discussions and look past the other differences. Obviously, this won’t work in all situations. If you’re in the middle of a nasty divorce or have a long-standing feud with someone it probably isn’t recommended that you try and eat together. But I’ve had moments where I can be in the middle of a debate with a friend and things get heated and we can just take a step back, turn on Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, and just change the subject to how fascinating the cultures are and how good the food looks. What calms the mind more than immersing yourself in another culture by stimulating your senses with some of their cuisine? You can transcend the dining room with a perfect combination of spices, a cut of meat cooked just to your liking, fresh ingredients, and any other little nuance you take the time to appreciate.

Reviewing the restaurants I’ve been to and food I’ve eaten would take forever and isn’t really something I’m looking to try and do retroactively in a single post. But I can say some of my favorites would include fresh sashimi (tuna especially) and pretty much anything in the realm of sushi. A lot of people are put off by the idea of raw fish and seem to think of the well-known “fishy” scent. Something they don’t seem to get is that most fish isn’t supposed to smell that way unless it’s rancid. There’s little out there that’s cleaner tasting than a fresh cut of tuna. All types of curry are pretty appetizing, as well as gulab jamun for dessert – they’re the little balls of dough in sweet syrup. If you’re looking to do yourself in after an Indian meal finish with a few of those and you’ll be comatose. Heading westward it’s hard not to love pasta. I personally like tortellini with any kind of innards, be they cheese or meat or both. They’re easy to cook al dente and taste great with a quality red sauce. I love my marinara with little chunks of tomato in it and plenty of seasoning. Some people sweeten it by adding sugar or a carrot – I don’t need that. German restaurants aren’t always the easiest to come by, but everyday cuisine in the US aligns with Germany’s in some ways most don’t notice. Pork loin roasts are excellent and easy to make. Pork is a really lean meat as well, and with the right seasoning it really comes to life. Roast it with a little beer or wine and it’s unbelievable how juicy it comes out. And something about the addition of Black Forest ham and beer cheese to a pork schnitzel never ceases to astonish.

I didn’t want to go off on a tangent with my personal favorites but you can see how easy it is. I’m no gourmet chef, but the idea of the science that goes into some dishes makes me plain giddy. If we could all take a step back and focus on the things that make us all universally happy, like food, wouldn’t the world be a better place? Now other delights like cigars and libations compliment beautifully when introduced to a meal, but that’s another post for another day. Maybe I sound like I’m lacking direction on this one, but at the very least it’s something different, right?