Next I will dine While at an Eritrean restaurant I will in Ssouth Seattle and observe howdraw from my knowledge while collecting ,participant observations myself, the restaurant, of the staff, the restaurant itself and other dinersdiners’ contributions ofinfluence the reinforcing of Heldke’s cultural food colonialist findingshegemony. In addition, we have discussed how it is difficult to agree on Areas of focus in my participant observation will include physical urroundings. I will alsoalso observe analyze the level ofwhat truly resembles authenticity presented in food. he meal that I order. ed to see if the ingredients and preparation appear to resemble what I have discovered while researching Ethiopian and Eritrean traditional cooking Lastly, I will attempt to relate examine if thehow Dahlak restaurant demonstratesreinforces represents aspects of food and culture concepts we have discussed in our course work studies work. I will be observing examples of of hegemony, and embodiment theory, diaspora, food hybridity, constructed reality, gastro- ostalgia, in addition to other concepts I uncover while analyzing my data.. and cultural capital..
In order to examine Heldke’s theory on food colonialism began by researching online the availability and ease of access would have to my ethnic food focus for my analysis. I initially chose to research Ethiopian food because I used to eat this specific style of foodit at least once a week as take out. would order over the phone and on the way back from work I would pick it up. I found that the time it took to order and receive my food often took an unusually long time. never understood why, if it was just not art of the Ethiopian culture to have a rushed approach in food prep or what? However long the wait may be? hink that the food I’m bringing home is totally worth the wait. once drag the heavy container home in the greasy bag. Eating Ethiopian take out is messy business often going through many thick paper towels to keep my hands clean in devour mode. MethodsBack to the present participant observation, after discussing my topic with the professorl learned of he tells old me about Eritrean food and how it is often called Ethiopian only based on the more familiar name in order to create ublic acceptance through discussing my food colonialism topic in class among locals in recognition and association with the type of food.
This small piece of information helps me on my participant observation journey by bringing an area of emphasis that would have otherwise been overlooked. There are so manyseveral Ethiopian restaurants to choose from locally. Learning about and locating an Eritrean restaurant in lieu of Ethiopian added to for my research that my participant observation. I actually decided to look up Eritrean and find the one and only restaurant which that is close to my ome and makes the decision unanimous for me to conduct my main research of food colonialism at Dahlak. My guidelines for participant observation follow a few simple rules guidelines.
First, I am going to dine as a regular patron, then observe other diners by taking notes of their assumed race, respectivelyand respectively overhear some conversation to see if anything they mention is in reference to the cultural experience of eating at the restaurant. I will also and observe if anything is spoken in particular about the dining experience in the restaurant in relation to colonialist hegemony. O m going to take notesobservance of e the regarding the restaurant space appearance for reinforcement of cultural colonialismis also important. o see if it emulates a traditional African ambianceAs an observationalist participant need to see if there are any correlations between what I observe and what Heldke has identified as cultural food colonialism. , based By drawing from my own self- education, on the historical information experiencefacts of ethnic dinging provided in the books; The Art Of The Meal and andThe Meal, and Recipes From Afar r Aand Near,. aside Heldke’s reference to ethnic cook ook experience manufacturing and adventure I will then dissect my observations..
These two books will be my basis for comparing accuracy in the replication of an authentic Ethiopia and Eritrea cultural dining experience. In addition, part of my strategy will be I am also going to observe the restaurant wait staff to see if there sis application of embodiment theory if possible through the staff interactions. a mix of genders as well as languages spoken to other diners or in communication back to the kitchen to observe the preferred methods if there is one for the staff to use in communicating ith each other compared to how they interact with others in the restaurant. m going to take notes observing the different dishes offered on the menu. I will also order an authentic dish Once my order is placed I will observe how my food is presented. upon collecting my observations I should be TABLE to make a good attempt at understanding Heldke’s research and be TABLE to agree or reject her idea Of cultural food colonialism. observation Gathering I have had previous experiences dining in other local Ethiopian restaurants around the city.
I have since done some historical research to gain knowledge f what I should expect to experience while enjoying a traditionally presented ethnic Eritrean African style meal. My first impression pulling into the Dahlaks parking lot is that it is a pretty plain there is nothing about the first impression of the building that sets it apart and makes it stand out against other buildings on the street or other businesses on the block. The Dahlak restaurant stands on its own away from what could potentially be other sit down dining completion in the vicinity. estaurant based on the outside appearance. As enter the dining room seat myself. There are TABLEs and hairs that are pretty out of date but cant wait to try the food before I make a complete judgment based on the surroundings. Dahlak is located in the south end of Seattle in an industrial area between residential and desired downtown walkTABLE and enticing blocks. The restaurant Dahlak, I discover is’s named is in reference to an island in Eritrea Africa. While at the restaurant I notice that the walls are painted colorfully in bright orange and green tones.
There is a variety of art on the walls throughout the restaurant of paintings representing African style instruments and African foreign stylized art that I ecognize from my prior research. There is Rreggae musical variety is playing in the background mixed with some other music with vocals that are not recognized as English. sung in English. The majority of the patrons in the restaurant are African Americans. I am one of two Caucasians in the entire restaurant. but aAt the TABLE next to mine me is a group of four that represent a blend of nationalitiesy, i. outto enjoy a meal over good conversation.
The group consists of a several nationalities including Caucasian, Indian, Filipino, and Chinese. I was surprised to see such a mix of ackgrounds out together and I was pleased that they were breaking cultural stereotype. At another TABLE near me isare a couple of middle aged men speaking the native a foreignEthiopian language mixed with English that I cannot identify. The two men also use the foreign language when communicating. with witheach other to each other and to the waitress. I observed them for a while and later then one on they asked if I would join them when he noticed me paying attention to them.
My writing materials provoked them to ask me what I was doing. whicWeh began We had aa great onversationconversing about our about individual each of our own cultural experiences e in America, and in Seattle and how they are all different. I asked how living in Seattle and how it compared to Ethiopia where they were from. I also asked the If had not spoken with them I would have not had the fortune of learning firsthand how an African person living in Seattle would have felt about the food and how it brings them back to the comforts of home while living so far away in America.
I converse with the two men and asked them if they like the food served at the restaurantDahIak in addition to the question nd Of the if the food embodiesmimics food that they have eaten back in Africa. They explain that theyThe men tell me that they enjoy the food at Dahlak, and that it’s similar to what their mothers would make at home, which uncovers some tones of female embodiment theory as well as gastro- nostalgia for them. Dahlak, they said,said provides eating at the restaurant is like being back homethem with a sense of comfort and familiarity. asked the two men how long they have lived in the united States.
TheyThe African men explainsaid to me thathow they came to Seattle. They describe how they truggle and even though they struggle and miss their families they live here because it is safer than being back in Africa. They both work in a care facility for the elderly and feel good about their hard work because they are helping people. The only complaint that describe they have which is minimal regarding the authenticity of the food is the quality of injera bread. The two men talk about how Due to the difficultythe of the restaurant is to get challenge by inability to use the samehighest quality grain to fry injera that is grown in Africa..
Tthe texture and thickness is not to the quality standard that he men experience back home in Africa. prior research I uncover explains how the tTeff grain used for frying injera is known to be the tiniest wheat grain s that is a commonly used in traditional African food. In order for injera to be made properly the dough must ferment for three days. Teff grains easily growws in Ethiopian and Eritrea regions and I am unTABLE to learn how the restaurant obtains the teff grain her in America. The nutritional value of teff and is high in iron calcium and protein.
Teff is the most important ingredient in making injera. We can identify from our class that bread a taple in African meals. ilnjera would be considered a slow food based on the lengthy process and is essential in African culture. I learned from the two men that when African custom tells us thatThe people of the region customarily believe that when sharing injera those present who share iteat it together cannot become your an enemy.. In order for injera to be made properly the dough must ferment for three days.
After the fermentation process the sour substance is flattened and fried in a skillet called mitad over a wood fire. Traditional Eritrean dining consists of linjera as is always the center piece of a ariety of vegeTABLEs and savory stewed meats when prepared authentically. All these foods are combined eaten together with the aid of injera to be eaten with no utensils. s that we traditionally use in the United States. Traditional Eritrean food is eaten by tearing off pieces of injera and grabbing up a mixture of lentils greens meats and sauce. However theyThe African men converse with are happy when they come to Dahlak.
The happiness the men experience is gastro-nostalgic, diasporic, connecting the food with their home memories and comforts themy and the injera is great regardless of here we are eating it. While we are conversing the waitress brings out my order of meat and vegeTABLEs on injera. My dinner is For the first the waitress presents my order partially served in a clay serving bowl that I am seeing for the firsthave never seen time when eating African food in the past. learned that this specific serving bowl is called shekla. It is similar to a partitioned serving dish with three sections separating different stew meats in oily sauce.
What makes this serving dish unique is that the meats are elevated and underneath is a hollowed out section for flaming charcoal.. hich is keeping my food hot while I dine. The presentation is so beautiful to me. have eaten variations of this African food with just as good a flavor but never served in this specific waysuch a spectacular presentation. I get up the courage to ask I get ansee an opportunity to ask the waitress the waitress politely if she thinks that the food that theyserved at Dahlak is authentic. serve resembles authentic Eritrean style cooking and eating.
She She reinforces my assumptions about the food and tells me that is the same in Eritrea and Ethiopia since they are neighboring lands. We continue to talk about African estaurants in Seattle and she says that Ethiopian and Eritrean are the same. However, I did someconducted further research upon returning home and found an article online that references the subtle differences between Ethiopian and Eritrean food culture. The article references states firsthand knowledge from Daniel Mesifeni, the owner of another restaurant also called Dahlak in Washington D.
C. Mesifeni states in the article that the most noticeTABLE difference between the two African origins are is the languages. Secondly, heMesifini admits he says that he can tell by tasting the variation of lavors variations between Ethiopian and Eritrean, but it can be difficult to notice for anyone who grew up outside of Africa specifically where the dish originates. My experience in dining out at both Ethiopian and Eritrean is novice based on what I read, and I could hardly tell the difference in flavor variation at all between regions.
It is a fact The African history read about in the two books states that that every ethnic African cook is going to have their own version of common recipes. such as One specific common dish called doro wat is important to its creator. A cook and they will never tellwill never ell you exactly what they put into ittheir own recipe. The most noticeTABLE difference for me being an American dining in an African restaurant in my city is the fact that Eritrean menus have the Italian options that Ethiopian restaurants do not feature. My Eritrean dining experience in Seattle ends with great satisfaction. elieve think that Eritrean cuisine in our city can present itself to an attitude of doesn’t take away an exploited feeling of cultural food colonialism. Upon further examination of the menu options, I notice the at all where we can help it. Even the presence of Italian food options offered on the menu. Italian food at an Eritrean restaurant? My research on African history explains this oddity. , Hhowever colonialist in historical influence, the spaghetti is is part of a true representation of Eritrean cultural dining blending of a new colonial culture of ethnic and authentic dining?
Italians that wanted to remove themselves from the associations of negativity brought on by two world wars motivated the intrest in relocating moved into Africa, therefore colonizing land. The Italian people brought many influences into Africa besides food,ltalian ethnic food they. The Italian colonists brought Africa industyindustry advancement, such as the rail road system. Would Italian food be a valid amendment to our definition of authentic eating? In some ways would say yes it does. and ethnic history.
Discussion Oof ResultsThe selection on Heldke’s observations of cultural food colonialism, questions examines the dining behavior she believes that herself and potentially other privileged that some people exhibit in America. Heldke hypothesizes that makes a good point that someAmericans people thrive on adventurous eating. andWhatwe are not ealizing this isin her eyes is how participating in just the act of eating out contributes exploitive to the exploitation of ethnically hegemonic culturecultures and ethnic food experiences.
This hurtingWe consequently continue to repress those who provide and present us with classified ethnic food adventurism. in America. Where I grew up up in Michigan, wasn’t exposed to a large variety of ethnic cultures in my. grew up in a majority affluent Caucasian dominated neighborhood.. Would Italian food be a valid amendment to our definition of authentic eating? In some ways would say yes it does. Dining out usually consisted of hot dogs at the local coney island, pizza, pasta, and yes Chinese food. What le have learned from Heldke and other food anthropologists is that Chinese food really isn’t at all Chinese.
In addition food hybridity’s that emerge from blending ethnic foods does not assume they take on an assumed generalized label such as Orient Express. Therefore, Ethiopian may sometime be Eritrean or the opposite or neither? Would Italian food be a valid amendment to our definition of authentic Eritrean food? In some ways I would say yes it does. This is not easy for even hose raised within the culture can pin point easily. I cannot take the blame for limited exposure to other cultures and being a finicky eater didn’t help the cause.
However, now that I have lived on my own, done some traveling outside the United States to Asia I have become relaxed in my openness to eating out at a variety of different cultural ethnic restaurants but this still ties me to being a food colonialist. I think that am lucky to live in Seattle surrounded by so many different cultural ethnic dining options. This course has pushed me to My awareness to ethnic food culture before this course as stretched pretty far and after a few weeks I have learned to think deeper and proactively about the ethnic foods I choose to eat, and why am eating them, and why.
