Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
7th annual ethnic cuisine is...
The 7th Annual Chandre Ethnic Meal cuisine will be...
Cuban!
I am so excited. This was my choice, and I think my husband and I need to start on research right away!
Cuban!
I am so excited. This was my choice, and I think my husband and I need to start on research right away!
Experience Diversity Through Cuisine
Taking off on my last post about our family's ethnic meal tradition, here is a step-by-step I wrote for eHow, the online resource:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4694478_celebrate-different-cultures-through-food.html
Enjoy!
http://www.ehow.com/how_4694478_celebrate-different-cultures-through-food.html
Enjoy!
Sixth Annual Ethnic Dinner
Here is a short article I wrote for my workplace on my family's Annual Ethnic Meal.
Celebrating Cultural Diversity at Home
It was an idea that started selfishly. As a way to enjoy our family’s recipes handed down through generations, my parents had the first “ethnic” meal honoring our German heritage. My father, ever the showman, designed menus that detailed the menu in German and English, and a history of Germany and its cuisine. I contributed by translating our traditional blessing into German and attempting to deliver it as accurately as possible.
The next year, we decided to dedicate our Christmas Eve dinner to the other prominent ethnic group in our background, Polish. This menu followed the same format, but included a family tree. My father entertained with stories from his childhood, and a reminder of how we became Chandres. My father’s family name was Ciachorowski, but in an effort to “fit in” and make it easier to pronounce, it was changed to Chandre.
It was at that second annual ethnic dinner that my family, which consists of my parents, two brothers and their spouses, and my husband, decided that this was a new tradition to continue on. Out came the playing cards, and after five hands of poker, the selection order was set. Each Christmas Eve, the next year’s ethnicity is announced. The selector then has all year to design a full menu and secure any special ingredients. The “reveal” of the next year’s ethnicity is akin to opening another Christmas gift! I have tried to figure out which ethnic group will be picked each year, but each of us holds our choice close to the vest.
So far, I have been to Brazil, India, Greece, and Thailand on our culinary adventure. I have prayed in Portuguese, Sanskrit, Greek and Thai. This is a hands-on process—each of us must help cook. Each year, the meal has become more elaborate. When we sampled Brazilian cuisine, my brothers stood in the cold to grill churrasco, a mix of meats on a huge skewer. We’ve worn bindi dots on our forehead and listened to authentic music from each country. My brother’s homemade baklava was to die for, and we invented a fraternity for our Greek celebration, Phi Alpha Mu, or FAM, for family. This year, we were in Thailand and learned Thai customs about how a meal is eaten and shared, and how important interpersonal relationships are in Thailand.
The most important part of this entire tradition is the family togetherness we experience in the preparation and enjoyment of this meal. I hope we will continue this for many years to come—there are so many ethnicities to choose from and sample!
Next year, it is my choice. The 7th Annual Chandre Ethnic Cuisine will be…I’m not telling. Did you really think I’d reveal it before Christmas Eve?
Celebrating Cultural Diversity at Home
It was an idea that started selfishly. As a way to enjoy our family’s recipes handed down through generations, my parents had the first “ethnic” meal honoring our German heritage. My father, ever the showman, designed menus that detailed the menu in German and English, and a history of Germany and its cuisine. I contributed by translating our traditional blessing into German and attempting to deliver it as accurately as possible.
The next year, we decided to dedicate our Christmas Eve dinner to the other prominent ethnic group in our background, Polish. This menu followed the same format, but included a family tree. My father entertained with stories from his childhood, and a reminder of how we became Chandres. My father’s family name was Ciachorowski, but in an effort to “fit in” and make it easier to pronounce, it was changed to Chandre.
It was at that second annual ethnic dinner that my family, which consists of my parents, two brothers and their spouses, and my husband, decided that this was a new tradition to continue on. Out came the playing cards, and after five hands of poker, the selection order was set. Each Christmas Eve, the next year’s ethnicity is announced. The selector then has all year to design a full menu and secure any special ingredients. The “reveal” of the next year’s ethnicity is akin to opening another Christmas gift! I have tried to figure out which ethnic group will be picked each year, but each of us holds our choice close to the vest.
So far, I have been to Brazil, India, Greece, and Thailand on our culinary adventure. I have prayed in Portuguese, Sanskrit, Greek and Thai. This is a hands-on process—each of us must help cook. Each year, the meal has become more elaborate. When we sampled Brazilian cuisine, my brothers stood in the cold to grill churrasco, a mix of meats on a huge skewer. We’ve worn bindi dots on our forehead and listened to authentic music from each country. My brother’s homemade baklava was to die for, and we invented a fraternity for our Greek celebration, Phi Alpha Mu, or FAM, for family. This year, we were in Thailand and learned Thai customs about how a meal is eaten and shared, and how important interpersonal relationships are in Thailand.
The most important part of this entire tradition is the family togetherness we experience in the preparation and enjoyment of this meal. I hope we will continue this for many years to come—there are so many ethnicities to choose from and sample!
Next year, it is my choice. The 7th Annual Chandre Ethnic Cuisine will be…I’m not telling. Did you really think I’d reveal it before Christmas Eve?
Welcome
Welcome to my blog. My name is Carolyn Miller and this is my first adventure into blogdom. My husband and I live in North Carolina, though I am originally from Wisconsin. We are the proud parents of three four-legged babies, Bucky, Bella, and Amos. If pets were tax deductions, we'd be all set.
I recently finished my first novel, Murder in the Old Courthouse, an amateur detective novel set in a small southern town. I am beginning plot construction on the next in the series, Murder in Town Hall. I have submitted the full manuscript to a publisher, so I am pretty excited about its prospects.
I have a wonderful family, which you will likely hear about extensively in this blog. Professionally, I work for a local government, and as an avid fan of all types of people, it is exactly the place to work.
Please feel free to post comments and ask questions.
I recently finished my first novel, Murder in the Old Courthouse, an amateur detective novel set in a small southern town. I am beginning plot construction on the next in the series, Murder in Town Hall. I have submitted the full manuscript to a publisher, so I am pretty excited about its prospects.
I have a wonderful family, which you will likely hear about extensively in this blog. Professionally, I work for a local government, and as an avid fan of all types of people, it is exactly the place to work.
Please feel free to post comments and ask questions.
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