Who knew food could be so controversial? I know people have likes and dislikes. I certainly have particular food likes and there are things I will not eat.
However, a picture I posted Instagram and Facebook on the first day of January created a flurry of comments. I have a few food related groups I post to, including the Not the New York Times Cooking Community. I really hadn’t anticipated such a reaction.
I am not a fan of black eyed peas. I know that in some communities it is traditional to eat black eyed peas for luck on New Year’s Day. I certainly have had my share of them cooked by terrific cooks. I didn’t grow up with that tradition, so I don’t have any skin in the game in terms of having them New Year’s Day.
I pulled a ham bone out of the freezer and popped it and pinto beans in the instant pot after sauteeing carrots, onions and celery. This is what I posted with the picture:
I know, I know blacked eyed peas are traditional but I don’t like them, I think they taste like dirt. So instead I used a leftover ham bone and made ham and pinto beans. #newyearsday #deliciouswichita #2022 #roembachhouse #chezcindylee
In one thread someone was offended I said black eyed peas tasted like dirt. I responded I didn’t mean any disrespect. I feel the same way about beets. I can eat a bite or two, then all the sudden if tastes like dirt to me. One person years ago said to me, “well they can be earthy.” Yup, that’s what I said, “dirt.”
Others weighed in “you haven’t tried mine,” “pinto beans don’t count,” “come on, taste isn’t everything.” Others noted that in their tradition sauerkraut is traditional or oyster stew. I really hadn’t meant to stir up such deep feelings and yet….food does that, doesn’t it?
We have deep and strong roots to food. Our heritage, ethnic backgrounds and cultures are windows into what we expect for holidays, for important meals and what flavors we expect. I am midwestern, from German and English stock. So it’s ham for Christmas and Easter, Turkey for Thanksgiving, fried chicken or hamburgers for any summer celebration.
When I posted I really didn’t mean to disrespect any tradition. All our tastes comes from experience positive and negative. As the comments swirled I realized that traditions are important for our identity and our understanding of how we move through time and space.
In the community of faith, many of our traditions are similar. How we experience and how we receive the sacrament of Holy Communion is a case in point. Thousands of books have been written on the scriptural and theological understandings of the Lord’s Supper.
As a United Methodist, I understand Holy Communion as a sacrament: a visible sign of an invisible grace. I believe, in the bread and cup Christ is present in a real way. I do not have adequate time or space to delve into the theology of it.
The “how” we do the sacrament often seems more important than the “why.” When I was little, we passed out trays with little tiny crackers and little tiny cups. The wafers were tasteless and the grape juice was not quite enough to rinse out the chalky taste. In other traditions the wafers are round and the small individual cups hold with real wine.
More recently (as in the last thirty years or so) I have used “intinction” as the way to serve the sacrament. Each person is given a torn off piece of bread and they dip it in a common cup. I love communion this way as it allows me the opportunity to serve. In another blog post, I will spend some time going deeper into the hows and whys of the way we serve and what we serve.
Today, I want to note that our traditions around communion affect how we receive it. During the pandemic many of those traditions have changed and I, for one, am very aware of how I prefer to serve communion is not the best or safest way to serve it in a medical crisis.
I miss the big loaf of bread, but I have changed my focus to using small individually wrapped wafers and cups to proclaim that Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again! I remind myself that these tasteless wafers are a promise the time is coming when we will feast at the heavenly banquet. Perhaps more importantly, the time is coming when we can feast together with whatever preferred elements we choose.
I believe that food isn’t really controversial, food comes with preferences because of our traditions, our memories and our backgrounds. Holy Communion comes with preferences as well, but the sacrament always comes with grace.
Chez Cindy 