Essay 1-Food Narrative

Arroz Con Pollo

By:Kendall Lewis

Every culture is unique in its own ways. People are raised up differently and are given different types to foods to try every day. Each individual is able to find one food that they feel pleases them and makes them want more. As a child my grandmother used to feed me all types of Cuban food. Since my grandmother grew up in Cuba, she knew all the recipes that were not well known in America. My personal favorite that she makes is arroz con pollo. That is chicken with rice, green olives, and mixed vegetables. Every time I went to her house she would always fix that for me. I can remember some occasions that we would sit in the kitchen for hours and make different foods and desserts for our family gatherings. Every holiday that we got together she would always make my favorite meal arroz con pollo along with several other traditional foods.
In order for a certain food to be complete, several ingredients must be mixed together. Arroz con pollo is zesty. Being energetic and full of life are two characteristics that explain who I am as a person. Arroz con pollo stands out from other foods because it is not original and it is not seen everywhere you go. Arroz con pollo is its own food made up of its own individual ingredients like an individual is made up of different character traits and qualities. The chicken in arroz con pollo shows strength. It is one of the main ingredients in the dish. To succeed in life you have to have strength and willingness in order to achieve any type of goal in which one sets. Like chicken, ones personality is easy to be torn apart, but a strong willed person will hold themselves together through thick and thin. One must be strong willed in order to sustain religious beliefs and morals as well. The other main ingredient in arroz con pollo is yellow rice. The yellow rice in arroz con pollo represents support. Support is a necessity in one’s character. One must also be willing to support others in their decisions and ask for support when they need help. Like at weddings, rice is thrown to show the bride and groom that the people are there to support them in their decision in getting married to each other. The green olives that are thrown in express one who is well-rounded. Well-rounded people are determined, responsible, independent, helpful, and loving. The green olives are an option to add a little something extra to the dish or to a person who is feeling down and needs someone to talk to. Like onions do to some people, one needs to be willing to have a shoulder for someone to cry on. Onions add more flavor to arroz con pollo. They are able to help someone out when they need someone to talk to. Like onions are to one’s eyes, a person needs to be sensitive to others feelings and their emotions when they are hurt and upset. The English peas that are added add a sense of sweetness to the dish. Every person needs to be sweet and be an easy person to get along with. It is easy to talk to anyone, but it takes a lot more to make strong friendships that will last forever. The final ingredient is the pepper that is sprinkled on top. This spices up the dish as a whole. One needs to be willing to spice up life and have fun. Every individual needs to have a good time, make life time friendships, and not have any regrets. Without the sprinkle of pepper in arroz con pollo the dish would not be complete. We are able to complete ourselves by accepting ourselves and enjoying life every day. Each individual wants their life to be just as enjoyable as arroz con pollo is when it hits ones mouth.
Coming from Cuba arroz con pollo represents more than just a dish. It represents the country as a whole and its culture. Cubans tend to be very much like me, festive and loud. Arroz con pollo is a festive food that is very popular in Cuba. The scenery in Cuba is much like my favorite place, the beach. The beaches in Cuba have crystal clear water and the temperature is usually hot. Arroz con pollo is a loud food because it stands out from the other foods. It is not plain and it has its own taste. Every individual needs to be their selves and stand out from the rest. Without individuality in this world it would not be very interesting.
Food can be used to describe any person whether it is the most complex food or the most plain food. Every person is unique in their own way and everyone has different qualities and character traits that make up who they are as a person. Arroz con pollo describes me perfect because it allows one to see the different aspects that make me who I am. In this dish are displayed both my strengths as well as my weaknesses. Arroz con Pollo shows that all the ingredients play a unique part in making the dish whole, and without all elements present, arroz con pollo would certainly not be complete. This analogy is identical to the feeling I have about my overall character as well. If one quality or character trait is left out of a person then they are not reaching their full potential in life. I always strive to never settle for less than can be achieved and to make the most of every day and every opportunity. I feel as though, overall, arroz con pollo represents my character, and most importantly, it represents my heritage as well. What I truly cherish most about the dish arroz con pollo, is that it will always evoke nostalgic memories of those long afternoons in the kitchen by my grandmothers side.