Perfect Meal

              “How did we ever get to a point where we need investigative journalists to tell us where our food comes from and nutritionists to determine the dinner menu? (1)” This is an introduction of Omnivore’s Dilemma. Now, we humans do not spend much time and energy on eating. Eating should be one of the most important work for human, but we now put it aside in a modern life, just going a cafeteria and just take it. Then, at this time, I try to spend my energy as much as possible to make my perfect meal. I prepared these definitions.

1.      It should be cooked by a group.

2.      I should know ingredients’ background.

3.      It should be nutritionally balanced.

4.      It should be according to cultural cuisine.

5.      No leftover.

 

As for the first point, I strongly believe human cannot make food by only myself. This is based on my certain experience. Last summer, I brought my student (I was working as a teacher for a part-time job) to a countryside in Japan in order to experience cooking in outside. Of course, we were able to use only primitive instruments; someone in a group had to make fire and maintain it for 4 hours, someone had to gather firewood, and someone had to wash and cut vegetables, and someone had to decide flavors. Each person need to find the best job for their talent, and contribute to a group from each standpoint. Of course, there was no easy job so every student had to struggle. However, that enthusiasm made our meal very precious one. While we were eating, students talked about how he/she contributed to this meal and praised each other’s effort. In my opinion, people feel more happiness when they share it. Cooking needs very complicated processes and it is never accomplished without everyone’s cooperation, and that feeling of collaboration allows people to find fulfillment in the meal.

The second definition is related to the fact that now we are not sure of what we are eating. We cannot live without eating, so it is very important to know what to eat and how to cook. We have to research how and when that food is made so that we can be responsible for everyday consuming. Backgrounds can tell us about what types of people are related to that food, which lets us realize we can live because of society. Now it is too easy to get food, so that is the reason why we have to check again where they are from.

The third point has something to do with our “health”. It wil1 be repetition but we eat to live, not to die. Therefore, we have to think about what we should eat according to our physical situations. Fortunately, there is a lot of information about nutrition given by government, health organization, etc.

              The fourth point is related to all of above. Cultural cuisine is based on great accumulation of many knowledges about people’s deed, available food in that area, and nutrition. When we try to make food along with those points, we can consult cultural cuisine because that is a certain result which is made through thinking about those problems.

              Then, the last point is “no leftover”. Making food needs much energy and resources. We cannot waste it.

              Based on these point, I made up my mind to cook “Japanese Cuisine” with my friends. I thought it was based on cultural experiences so it had fine nutrition. Then, I went to the Asian Market. According to Japanese government guideline, we have to eat five kinds of dishes: principle foods, side dishes, main dishes, dairy products, and fruits. According to this, I decided to make Yaki-Udon (in English Fried Noodle). This dish has noodles, and vegetables. In addition, I bought some milk and Mikan (Japanese Orange).

              For Yaki-Udon, I bought seven ingredients: udons, shitakes, chingensai, and welsh onions. Udon is one of Japanese noodles. I bought one which has a Japanese label written “organic”. According to the website of Hakubaku, which products this organic udon, this udon is made from organic wheats grown by Australian farmers. The price was three times more expensive than normal udon in Japan. Shitake is one of Japanese mushrooms. I could not know where my shitake was from a label but according to shop owner it was imported from Japan. The price was twice more expensive than in Japan. Chingensai is also called as Bok Choy. Shop owner said it came from farms in Michigan. She gave me the same explanation for welsh onion. I researched on the Internet, but I could not find more information. These vegetables are the same price as in Japan.  

              Then, I cooked it. Because of my definitions, I asked my friends to make our food together. In fact, I could not buy my ingredients without my friends, and of course cook it neither. While I was washing vegetables my friends were boiling udon, and preparing plates. Actually, my friends lent me a lot of instruments to cook. When I was frying our udon with many vegetables, they distributed milk and fruits, and they invited their friends to share our food with much more people. I would not finish anything about this cooking, but they made it possible. Thanks to many friends, we could succeed in eating all of our food, with no leftover.

              Actually, after making it I realized that I could choose the better way to make “perfect meal”. When I was buying, I noticed the ingredients were very expensive compered to in Japan. That was natural because most of those were imported from Japan. And this fact is against my definition no.2 and 4. Because I could not make it clear their backgrounds and also I felt that making Japanese cuisine in America was not natural from cultural points of view. I might have better to make dishes using local kalamazoo food, which is much easier to trace their backgrounds and have cultural accumulation of knowledges here. However, this project reminded me that we cannot cook by alone. Cooking as an international student required me to ask help many people. I really appreciate all of them, and of course, my foods.