(photo from toyohara's flickr page)
After watching Tampopo, it struck me how serious people were about their food in the film. It was a pleasure to see how much work went into creating the perfect noodle, the perfect soup, the perfect dish. To Tampopo and Goro, along with the others in their group, nothing would do until they were able to turn Tampopo into a true noodle chef. This quest was one that brought an unlikely group together and created memories that each of the characters would carry forever in their memories. Another example of food bringing people together!!One thing I enjoyed seeing in Tampopo was the science of cooking. Each component of the bowl of noodles was vitally important and took careful planning and measurement. Cooking and baking are sciences - there is so much measurement, preciseness and care that go into each one. I actually learned this awhile ago since my mother-in-law was a rocket scientist before she decided to go to culinary school. She always said that her science background helped her tremendously when it came to measuring, timing, temperatures and the like. To serious chefs and cooks, creating a meal out of love, passion and care is key to making it great.
Can you imagine how amazing our food would be if we all put so much care into preparing our food ? Instead we live in a culture that is all about saving time and using as little of it as possible for such things. Microwave dinners, quick skillets, fast food, stores that prepare and package weekly meals for the busy lifestyle are all perfect examples of what food has become to the majority of our society.
While Tampopo is, in essence, about a fast food culture as well, I feel it is much different than what we experience here. The love and care that goes into preparing a good, fast meal in the movie is exponentially greater than what we find here. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten fast food and been greeted, if you can call it that, by a bored, unimpressed person who could care less what I want to eat and if what I receive is what I ordered. The efficiency and attention that Tampopo learns from Goro is refreshing and inviting.
My observations from Tampopo bring a question to the forefront of my mind. How do we as a culture reconnect with our food? It seems like such a natural thing to do since it sustains us and allows us to do all of the things we love. Since we are in a culture that thrives on fast and easy, how can we change our society to bring back the appreciation of a nice, slow meal shared with others?
