(Painting by Dean Teegarden)
We have read about how different cultures are identified through different foods, different ways of preparing foods, and different ways of eating foods. This concept that food is a part of my own personal identity is a relatively new concept for me. The only thing I have ever really thought of in terms of a regional food that I grew up with is potatoes. After all, Idaho is the land of spuds. Perhaps I am a meat and potatoes girl? Growing up in farm country that sounds plausible. I have never thought of having a specific type of food that defines who I am such as those we read about in Rouse and Hoskins. With some further thought however, I came up with a food that I do associate myself with- not culturally or religiously or even regionally, but strictly through experience and childhood.
This food comes in many different varieties, shapes, colors, sizes and tastes, but there is one type in particular that resonates with me. Fish is what I am referring to, and the Rainbow Trout is the type I am most familiar with. This may sound strange, but I grew up on a fish hatchery. Everything about my life was fish: fertilizing the eggs; incubating the eggs; the hatchlings; feeding, vaccinating and grading the fish; and getting the fish ready for processing. It was a fascinating life for a little girl and one that not too many people get to experience.
Not only was I lucky enough to grow up learning how food is grown and the importance of farming, but I was lucky enough to grow up at the bottom of the Snake River Canyon isolated from pretty much everything. Across the river I could see the orchards, up on top of the canyon there were fields of alfalfa, potatoes, corn and other crops for miles as well as dairy farms littered across the land. It was an amazing place to grow up in- so close to so many kinds of agriculture.
So perhaps it is unfair to say that my food identity relates to fish specifically. I think it is better, and more on target, to say that agriculture in general is my food identity. With the multitude of growth I was surrounded by, I developed a great appreciation for everything hand grown. I remember going to the local Green Giant plant to get fresh corn, straight out of the fields- nothing better than that, let me tell you!!
And so, just as Rouse and Hoskins tie in foods like macaroni and cheese, collard greens, fried chicken, potatoes and other things to the Sunni Islam culture, I tie in fish, dairy, corn and potatoes to my country/agricultural upbringing.
