The Elderly, Food, Puerto Rican Culture

Their is an interesting relationship between elderly women and wanting to feed their children and grandchildren. And when I say feed, I don't just mean one hearty meal. I mean, they want to STUFF their grandchildren FULL. And the pleasure they take in doing so is undeniable. And I want to talk about why.

My grandmother has an interesting dynamic on this issue. Although she likes to fatten us all up, she's also very critical about weight. You'd think that it seems contradictory, but in her mind it makes perfect sense. The common explanation for why elderly women love to fatten up their grandchildren stems from the historical context in which they grew up and their own relationship to food. Often in immigrant families, food was often scarce or at least highly valued for the cost is amounted. So, the way grandmother's show love is to shower their grandchildren with the bounty they couldn't enjoy during their own childhood. They value food for the gift it can mean. It's not only nourishment, it is a real gift. It is hand crafted, and then bestowed upon us with watchful, adoring eyes--waiting to see our reaction. It's a way for them to feel useful and nurturing, too. 

Food has always been an important cultural staple. What's funny is that it means different things for different cultures. When I go to my dad's side of the family for Christmas Eve dinner, the meal is the same: chicken, peas, mashed potatoes. Very bland, very WASP-y food. When my grandmother, mother, and aunt cook for Christmas Day dinner, there's pork, fish, arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), potato salad, avocados by the pound, artichoke salad, bread, and more. It's comfort food, as oppose to typical food. In Hispanic culture, food brings the family together, it's a familiar backdrop. In my father's WASP-y culture, it's like a ceremony, far-removed and unemotional. People are more focused on the scotch than the family vibe. I have always found the different views of food and family dining rather fascinating.

Event the style in which we eat is different. On my mother's side it's grab what you can and everyone squishes into one room, some even eating and standing so that we call gather around the hot plates of food. On my dad's side, the WASP side, there are appetizers circulated and a long table where everyone has a name-place at which to sit. It's forced, while the Puerto Rican side is free flowing. 

My grandmother loves to cook and it's how she shows her love to her grandchildren. The cultural ramifications are quite interesting to explore in terms of how they relate to other cultures and their view of food, and how especially views of food and family dining are more similar among minorities and immigrant groups.