Final Assignment Anthology

Introduction

Throughout the semester, we continued to upload diverse posts to our assignment blogs, and now our blogs are full of a wide variety of interesting posts which reflect our gains from the course. In this course, we explored the definition of key terms in literature, evaluated and analyzed ideas of others, and expressed our understandings of food, feelings, and films. Our initial blog posts were mainly about writing mechanism and literature terms, such as audience and genre. Then, we focused on food, its significance, and how it is incorporated in videos and films. In addition to writing in respond to specific questions and topics, we also had opportunities to write creatively in assignments like voiceover for film scenes and shopping list for a meal. In the later stage of this course, we shifted focus to feeling and analysis on articles. We made creative blog post for the pie assignment and addressed our understanding of the assigned reading for the Proust excerpt homework.

Our diverse blog post assignments allowed me to practice and improve my writing in a systematic way. These smaller, lower-stakes blog posts were relatively less challenging than letter-graded assignments. They let me to explore different writing styles and familiarize myself with different audiences as well as genres, better preparing me for bigger writing assignments.

Among all the assignment blog posts, I picked and revised the following five posts. I considered them a good and balanced representation of my writing skills, our course topic, and course objectives. The main theme of these five posts is food but also includes feelings and films. I arranged the posts based on how closely they are connected to the main theme, food. Therefore, the first two blog posts are my personal understanding of and experience with food. The third one is an ethnography of food court in Emory. The fourth post relates to film, and the last post relates to feeling.

Blog Post 1 - Har Gow

http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/11/revised-blog-post-1-for-final.html
Original Version:
http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/09/blogpost-september9-2016-fora-typical.html

Blog Post 2 - Food and Religion

http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/11/revised-blog-post-2-for-final.html
Original Version:
http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/09/blog-post-september-13th-from.html

Blog Post 3 - Ethnography of the Cox Hall Food Court

http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/11/revised-blog-post-3-for-final.html
Original Version:
http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/09/ethnography-of-coxhall-food-court-i.html

Blog Post 4 - Voiceover for the Opening Scene of Eat Drink Man Woman

http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/11/revised-blog-post-4-for-final.html
Original Version:
http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/10/blog-post-october-12th-voiceover-for.html

Blog Post 5 - Night Sky Pie

http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/11/revised-blog-post-5-for-final.html
Original Version:
http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/11/blog-post-nov.html

Concluding Reflection

These five revised blog posts explore our course topic, food, feelings, and films. They allow me to consider the course learning outcomes and reflect on what I gain from the writing process.

Usually, I start my writing with an outline. I brainstorm possible contents to be included in the posts and then refine the options. After that, I write my rough draft according to the outline. Lastly, I revise and polish my writings.

While revising my previous assignment blog posts, I realized that sometimes I forget to consider my audience. As a result of it, I assume, my writings may make sense to me, but not necessarily to other readers. Therefore, in my revisions, I paid extra attention to audience as well as other key elements, such as genre and tone. For example, my targeted audience for the first revised post is food lovers who like reading blogs, and so I chose to write in a conversational style.

Now, after knowing the definition of Har Gow, you may ask what a good Har Gow is like. In my opinion, a good Har Gow should fulfill the following criteria:

1. has thin, soft, and translucent skin
2. the skin should be as thin as possible, but not to the extent which it can be easily ruptured by chopsticks (the translucence of the skin allows Har Gow to have a reddish appearance as we can kind of see the shrimp inside)
3. the shrimp must be fresh
4. all the ingredients must be seasonal
5. tastes fresh, juicy, and full-bodied

For my fifth revised post which I intended to present to literature critics, I picked a lighthearted tone and tried to use detailed description of the environment to convey my feelings.

Lying on the lawn and facing the clear night sky, I can feel the zephyr touching my skin and see countless stars twinkling in the distance.

In the process of writing, I also learned to use evidence to support my idea and make my writing more expressive. I incorporated personal anecdote in my second blog post to explain how past experience and cultural context shapes my understanding of food.

Every year, as a tradition, on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar my parents and I will go to the temple as many other Chinese families. Following our visit to the temple, we will always have vegetarian meals on that day. This is a common religious custom in China and the logic behind it is that, according to Chinese Buddhism, gods are born on the first day of the lunar calendar. Therefore, as a form of respect, people avoid killing animals and eat vegetarian meals on that day. To this day, though many Chinese people no longer have a strong affiliation to Buddhism, this custom remains as a tradition.

Working on these five blog posts I picked and other assignment blog posts, I also practiced evaluating ideas of others and presenting my own ones. In addition, along with creating these posts, I had a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of food, how it relates to feelings, and how it is incorporated and explored in films. Last but not least, this anthology project allows me to realize the importance of revising my own writings. In this process, I can identify my mistakes and avoid making them again in the future.

Revised Blog Post 5 for Final Assignment Anthology

Night Sky Pie

Lying on the lawn and facing the clear night sky, I can feel the zephyr touching my skin and see countless stars twinkling in the distance. I am at the Dolomites, a mountain range located in northeastern Italy. It is hard to imagine that in the middle of nowhere, there is this boutique hotel offering a soothing place for relaxation and meditation.

Breathing the cool, refreshing air of the midnight, I start to create a pie recipe in my head. I am calling it the “Night Sky Pie of the Dolomites”. There is dark chocolate, coffee powder, and nata de coco. A layer of dark chocolate will be the base of the pie and an extra thin layer of coffee powder will be spread on top of it, representing the dark sky. Small pieces of nata de coco will be placed sporadically on the pie, symbolizing the twinkling stars. The bitterness of dark chocolate and the sweet taste of nata de coca will neutralize each other, creating a balanced flavor. This pie is a symbol of tranquility in the dark night.

Original Version: http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/11/blog-post-nov.html

Revised Blog Post 4 for Final Assignment Anthology

Voiceover for the Opening Scene of Eat Drink Man Woman

              Mr. Chen, a well-known chef in Taiwan, with over thirty years of experience in culinary realm is now showing us how he cooks his signature dishes.

              The first dish is fried fish. Let's see how he prepares it. First, he cleans out all the insides. Then, he removes the bone carefully and breads the fish. The temperature of the oil is crucial. More than ten years of culinary experience tells Mr. Chen that 350 degree Fahrenheit is the perfect oil temperature.

              Now, Mr. Chen is preparing for his most famous dish, “golden combination”. Ingredients are squid, chicken heart, peppers, Chinese bacon, white carrots, and pork belly. Of course, chicken is also indispensable. The cooking procedure is not simple at all. First, Mr. Chen steams the squid and pork belly to make them tender. Then, he adds chicken, chicken heart, peppers, and white carrots into a pot for boiling for two hours. After that, he places all ingredients into another big pot in layers. Finally, Mr. Chen adds the chicken soup to the pot and place it on the stove for another two hours.

              Now, while waiting for his “golden combination” to be done, Mr. Chen is going to show us how to make Chinese dumplings.

Original Version: http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/10/blog-post-october-12th-voiceover-for.html

Revised Blog Post 3 for Final Assignment Anthology

Ethnography of the Cox Hall Food Court

I. Background

Strategically located at the center of the Emory campus, Cox Hall Food Court is a popular dining place for Emory students. It opens at 6:30 am and closes at 7:00 pm every day, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. According to its official website, the Cox Hall Food Court is positioned as a place “which offers quick-service dining options”. It consisted of ten food vendors, which are ITP Deli, Freshens, Maru, C3, Green Bean, Twisted Taco, Pasta John’s, Beltline Pizza, Dooley’s Farm, and Char’d House. They together offer diverse dining options for students, staff, and visitors at Emory.

II. Observation

I made a visit to the Cox Hall Food Court on September 21^st, at around one o’clock. It was a busy period at Cox as it was flooded with waves of students. I was overwhelmed by its crowdedness as I entered this food court. Basically all tables were occupied, and long lines formed in front of both food vendors and check-out counters. In order to avoid the waiting, I chose a box of pre-made sushi roll and a bowl of cold pasta from the refrigerator and checked out.

As I looked around to find an available seat, I noticed that most tables at the Cox Hall Food Court had four or six seats. About one-third of the tables were located by the glass. The remaining two-third of the tables were situated near the check-out counters and food vendors. I sit down at a table by the glass which was lighted by natural sunlight and ate my food.

III. Interview

In order to evaluate the overall quality of the Cox Hall Food Court, I interviewed two of my friends, Steven and Elaine, regarding their experience of eating at Cox. Elaine eats at Cox Hall approximately once a week. Steven is a less frequent eater at Cox, eating there about twice a month. Their first impressions of the Cox Hall Food Court were both crowded during lunch. However, Elaine added that “during dinner time, the line was much shorter”. Steven did not like the food at Cox Hall except the sushi, and he concluded that “the food was not great but a good change of taste from DUC”. Steven gave an overall score of six out of ten for the Cox Hall Food Court. Elaine, on the other side, liked the food at Cox Hall, especially the tacos. “It is better than the DUC.”, said Elaine. She was happy with Cox’s wide range of choices. After all, she gave a score of seven out of ten for Cox Hall.

IV. Conclusion

The Cox Hall Food Court can get really crowded during the lunch time and the waiting line can be very long. As Elaine mentioned, “it is not a good choice if you are in a rush”. The taste of the food it offers is arguable as our two interviewees gave diverged reviews, but it is certainly a “good choice if you are tired of the DUC”, concluded Elaine.

Reference:
Housing & Dining, http://www.emory.edu/home/life/housing-dining.html
Cox, http://emoryatlanta.cafebonappetit.com/cafe/cox/

Original Version: http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/09/ethnography-of-coxhall-food-court-i.html

Revised Blog Post 2 for Final Assignment Anthology

Food and Religion

From my perspective, food has a close connection to religion as well as tradition. Different religions have different restrictions on food and people of different ethnicity also have different dietary customs.

Every year, as a tradition, on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar my parents and I will go to the temple as many other Chinese families do. Following our visit to the temple, we will always have vegetarian meals on that day. This is a common religious custom in China and the logic behind it is that, according to Chinese Buddhism, gods are born on the first day of the lunar calendar. Therefore, as a form of respect, people avoid killing animals and eat vegetarian meals on that day. To this day, though many Chinese people no longer have a strong affiliation to Buddhism, this custom remains as a tradition.

Not only does Buddhism have dietary restrictions and customs, but many other religions also do. When I was in high school, I learned from some Jewish students that there is a fasting day every year. In addition, in Jewish culture, there are many limitations on food and the ways that it is prepared.

In conclusion, food is not simply what we eat every day. It contains cultural heritage and has important meaning to different groups of people.

Original Version: http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/09/blog-post-september-13th-from.html

Revised Blog Post 1 for Final Assignment Anthology

Har Gow

For a typical Cantonese family, going to teahouse on the weekend for dim sum has as high priority as going to church for a western family. Dim sum, the quintessence of culinary intelligence, is an indispensable component in Cantonese’ daily life. If you have been to a dim sum place in America, you may notice that there are dozens of different types of dim sum, ranging from salty to sweet, from meaty to vegetarian, and from warm to cold. These are all crystallizations of generations of chefs’ creativity, efforts, and intelligence.

Among all these diverse and exquisite culinary delicacies, “Har Gow” (also called xiajiao or shrimp dumpling) is my favorite. It is usually considered the most representative among all Cantonese dim sum. Har Gow is usually listed as the first item on a dim sum menu. Based on my experience, the quality of the Har Gow is highly correlated with the overall culinary level of a restaurant. Restaurants that can produce good Har Gow usually offer other types of tasteful dim sum and dishes as well.

So what is Har Gow exactly? According to the online ChinaDictionary, Har Gow is a popular Han traditional snack in Guangdong Province made from wheat starch. Typically, Har Gow is half-moon in shape, translucent, stuffed with shrimps, meat, bamboo shoots and tastes delicious. [1] Now, after knowing the definition of Har Gow, you may ask what a good Har Gow is like. In my opinion, a good Har Gow should fulfill the following criteria:

1.      has thin, soft, and translucent skin

2.      the skin should be as thin as possible, but not to the extent which it can be easily ruptured by chopsticks (the translucence of the skin allows Har Gow to have a reddish appearance as we can kind of see the shrimp inside)

3.      the shrimp must be fresh

4.      all the ingredients must be seasonal

5.      tastes fresh, juicy, and full-bodied

Comparing to its complex composition, eating Har Gow is very simple. Some people like to dip it in soy sauce while others prefer sweet chili sauce. For me, I like it plain, so that I can have a real taste of it, slowly chew it in my mouth, and peacefully enjoy the sense of pleasure this delicacy offers me.

Dim sum certainly has some kind of spiritual value in my mind. While living in Guangzhou, a weekend without going to the teahouse for dim sum is incomplete. Dim sum, especially Har Gow, gives me a sense of belonging and peace which has some kind of magic power that can sweep away all my anxiety and unpleasantness.

[1] "Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow)." ChinaDictionary. N.p., 04 Mar. 2015. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://chinadictionary.net/shrimp-dumplings-har-gow/>.

Original Version: http://eng101benhe.blogspot.com/2016/09/blogpost-september9-2016-fora-typical.html

Nov. 28th    Reflection on Previous Blog Post

          The blog post assignment regarding the Proust Excerpt was not easy for me. Besides the article’s complexity, I find it hard to just free write something without a given topic. Since I perceive the excerpt as a writing in conversational style, I try to mimic its style while writing my blog post. For example, I wrote:

No wonder why British people are so passionate and devoted to their afternoon tea tradition. I think, perhaps in a busy workday, a cup of British tea with delicate pastries brings them a transient but soothing joy and helps them to maintain positive mentality as well as high efficiency at work.

          Considering our course topic, “food, film, and feeling”, I chose to write about my feeling related to some elements in Proust’s article. Then I found that to convey my feeling well is kind of challenging. I was much more adapted to write in academic or formal style, hence, using colloquial style in conveying my feeling was not easy. I think, in the future, I need to work on improving my writing in different styles and be accustomed to free write assignments.

          Evaluating my writing from the standpoints of course outcomes, I realize that I forget to consider and decide my audience. When I started this blog post, I was not targeting to a specific group of audience, and I just wrote whatever I thought worth writing. In retrospection, I think if I had chosen a target audience, my writing would be more consistent and effective. An aspect which I think I did a relatively good job in is that I evaluated author’s opinion and compared that to mine. Though I kind of mistaken some key points in his article, I addressed my views on some of the points he made.

          In conclusion, I think I need more practice on writing in conversational style and I need to write in a more systematic way which involves considering audience, genres, and rhetoric. 

Nov. 18th Blog Post

           For me, tea has an indispensable meaning in my life. A day without a cup of homemade hot tea is incomplete in my opinion. In my days at Emory, a few types of tea that I frequently drink are French Earl Grey, Danchong Oolong, and Jasmine Green Tea. A cup of hot tea offers me a sense of peace and relaxation. A sip of the tea has its magic power to freeze the time and filter undesirable noises. A tea break for me is just as how Marcel Proust wrote in Remembrance of Things Past.

An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory - this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me it was me. I had ceased now to feel mediocre, contingent, mortal. Whence could it have come to me, this all-powerful joy? I sensed that it was connected with the taste of the tea and the cake, but that it infinitely transcended those savours, could, no, indeed, be of the same nature. Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it?

         While drinking tea, sometimes accompany with cookies or small pastries, I become indifferent to all stresses, anxieties, and worries. It is a time for withdrawal from the complex and sometimes vicious world, an escape from an overwhelming amount of workloads, and a getaway to pick up what I treasure but lost in the course of daily routines. No wonder why British people are so passionate and devoted to their afternoon tea tradition. I think, perhaps in a busy workday, a cup of British tea with delicate pastries brings them a transient but soothing joy and helps them to maintain positive mentality as well as high efficiency at work.
         I don't know and had never try to discover why tea can bring me this kind of sense and feeling. Proust went into the abyss of humanity and mentality to explore the deepest connection between tea, madeleine, and consciousness. However, for me, I would say I don't care. I think, a cup of hot tea offering a sense of relaxation is great enough, so why trouble ourselves and expend time to investigate the complicated questions which require mental effort and counteract the effect of a wonderful cup of tea brings.

Blog Post Nov.16th

Night Sky Pie

         Lying on the lawn and facing the clear night sky, I see countless stars twinkling. I am at the Dolomites. It is hard to imagine that in the middle of nowhere, there is this boutique hotel offering a soothing place for relaxation and meditation. Now I am here. I start to create a pie recipe in my head. I am calling it “Night Sky Pie of Dolomites”. There is dark chocolate, coffee powder, and nata de coco. A layer of dark chocolate will be the base of the pie and an extra thin layer of coffee powder will be spread on top of it, representing the dark sky. Small pieces of nata de coco will be placed sporadically on the pie, symbolizing the twinkling stars. The bitterness of dark chocolate and the sweet taste of nata de coca will neutralize each other, creating a balanced flavor. This pie is a symbol of tranquility in the dark night.

Reflection on Blog Post Drafts
Nov. 9th 2016

From the peer review in class today, I received following suggestions regarding my blog posts:

1. add a concluding sentence at the end of the article to connect all the contents together.
2. give examples or explain more thoroughly for a few arguments.
3. pay attention to the word choice

In general, I think these are all great suggestions. I am going to add supporting evidence and concise conclusions for my blog posts. I will also refine my word choice to clarify some sentences. 

Photo Essay

Traveling provides us a chance to admire the beauty of nature, offers a sense of freedom, and inspires us to reflect on our life. Three months ago, I traveled to and captured some photos at the Isle of Skye in Scotland, United Kingdom. The view of the land, the lake, the sea, and the sky made me feel small. Seeing the land being divided by lakes and then reconnected at distance and the peaks rose from rugged surface, I praised the power of nature. Nature creates us, embraces us, and nurtures us. Nature is strong, however, it does not suppress us nor limit us from exploring it. We can choose to perceive nature from different perspectives. In Scotland, I sat on the lawn by the lake and saw mountains and the land disappearing from the horizon. I also climbed up the peak and received a panorama of the landscape from the crest. Nature may appear overwhelming to us, but we are free to explore and discover it. In this progress, we think, reflect, and gain.

#Scotland   #Isle of Skye   #Tranquility   #Meditation

#Scotland   #Isle of Skye   #View from Old Man of Storr

#Scotland   #Isle of Skye   #Lighthouse   #Vastness of Earth

Blog Post Revision 2

How does food relate to your experience of gender and/or religion? Use a personal anecdote as evidence (if you do not have one that you want to use, feel free to make up a story or ask a friend for permission to use one of their personal stories). 

From my perspective, food has a close connection to religion as well as tradition. Different religions have different restrictions on food and people of different ethnicity also have different dietary customs.

Every year, as a tradition, on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar my parents and I will go to the temple as many other Chinese families. Following our visit to the temple, we will always have vegetarian meals on that day. This is a common religious custom in China and the logic behind it is that, in Chinese Buddhism, gods are believed to be born on the first day of the lunar calendar. Therefore, as a form of respect, people avoid killing animals and eat vegetarian meals on that day. To nowadays, though many Chinese people do not have a strong affiliation to Buddhism, this custom remains as a tradition.

Not only Buddhism has dietary restrictions and customs, many other religions also do. When I was in high school, I learned from some Jewish students that there is a fasting day every year. In addition, in Jewish culture, there are many limitations on food and the ways that it is prepared.

In conclusion, food is not simply what we eat every day. It contains cultural heritage and has important meaning to different groups of people.

Blog Post Revision 1

What dose sustainability and buying/eating local mean to you? Draw from personal experience/incorporate personal anecdote if possible.

In my opinion, sustainability is the capability to protect the environment, limit unnecessary waste, and benefit the next generation. Sustainability is important in modern world as resources are limited while population continues to grow rapidly. Sustainability is something we can all reach.

To buy and eat locally is one easy way to be sustainable. To buy locally means to purchase food and fruits from surrounding farms; and to eat locally means to eat in restaurants which use local ingredients. To buy and eat locally can not only support local farmers but also reduce the use of vehicles for transportation as well as emission of carbon dioxide. Buying locally may sometimes costs more, but in return, we usually get fresher food and make contribution to the economy of the region we live in. To me, in additionally, eating locally is a joy. In Guangdong, China, different rural areas have different signature dishes. Thus, eating locally in different places is a great adventure, and I usually encounter delicious food unexpectedly in different local restaurants.

Blog Post October 14th

Revised voiceover for the opening scene of Eat Drink Man Woman

              Mr. Chen, a well-known chef in Taiwan, with over thirty years of experience in culinary realm is now showing us how he cooks his signature dishes. 

              The first dish is fried fish. Let's see how he prepares it. First, all the insides must be cleaned out.Then, remove the bone carefully and bread the fish. The temperature of the oil is very important, 350 degree Fahrenheit is perfect. The timing is also crucial. 

              Now, Mr. Chen is preparing for his most famous dish, “golden combination”. Ingredients are squid, chicken heart, peppers, Chinese bacon, white carrots, and pork belly. Oh, of course, chicken is also indispensable. As you can see, the cooking procedure is not simple at all. First, you need to steam the squid and pork belly for ten minutes to make them tender. Then, chicken, chicken heart, peppers, and white carrots need to be boiled for two hours. After that, place all ingredients in a big pot in layers. Finally, add the chicken soup to the pot and place it on the stove for another two hours.

              Now, while waiting for his “golden combination” to be done, Mr. Chen is going to show us how to make dumplings.

Blog Post October 12th

Voiceover for the opening scene of Eat Drink Man Woman

              Mr. Chen, a well-known chef in Taiwan, with over thirty years of experience in culinary realm is now showing us how he cooks his signature dishes. Fried fish is an indicator of a cook’s basic skills. The inside and the bone must be completely got rid of. The temperature of the oil must be perfect and the timing is crucial. Now, Mr. Chen is preparing for his most famous dish, “golden combination”. Squid, chicken heart, peppers, Chinese bacon, white carrots, and pork belly. They are all necessary ingredients for this delicacy. Of course, chicken is also indispensable. The cooking procedure is not simple at all. First, squid and pork belly must be steamed for ten minutes. Chicken, chicken heart, peppers, and white carrots need to be boiled for two hours. After that, all ingredients are placed in a big pot in layers. Chicken soup, salt, and oyster sauce are added to the pot, and after that, the pot will be placed on the stove for another two hours. Now, while waiting for his “golden combination”, Mr. Chen is going to prepare other dishes.

Blog Post October 5th

Reflection on my food blog proposal


          My food blog is intended to present readers a concise yet informative history regarding Chinese food in America. I plan to write about the origin of Chinese food in the US, how it changed from time to time, and its current state. During today's class peer review session, my peer suggested that my food blog could focus on a narrower topic rather than the broad history of Chinese food in America. I agree with her that a narrow topic will provide more detailed information for readers. However, I also believe that intact information that cover different aspects are important. Thus, I am most likely to stick with my original plan since I want readers to have an overall understanding of Chinese food in America after reading my blog posts. I will also try to incorporate more detailed information in my blog posts.

Extra Credit Blog Post

Summary of video "Martin Yan's Chinatowns - Chinatown Markets"

         In the video, Martin Yan argues that San Francisco Chinatown is much more than a tourist attraction. It is a great place to explore delicious food, find diverse ingredients, and buy traditional cooking equipments. Martin Yan also introduces easy way to make Chinese food such as drunken shrimp soup, beef with many mushrooms, and chicken with eggplant.

Blog Post 9/28

Reflective Writing in response to the Buzzfeed Videos

I watched the videos “Chinese People Try Panda Express For the First Time” and “Americans Try German Food For The First Time”. In the Panda Express video, the elders’ reaction to American Chinese food was mild and accepted in general. They agreed that some dishes tasted delicious and authentic while some other dishes were not that authentic but still acceptable. However, the young people’s reaction to the food was furious. They disliked the food and considered it fake Chinese food. I was actually very surprised by their reactions while watching the video, and their reactions seemed a little ridiculous to me. The most surprising thing was that the young people, who seemed to be raised in a western environment, were very critical about the food while the elders endorsed the food. Based on my personal experience of eating at Panda Express, I would agree with the elders that some dishes are considerably authentic. Thus, in my opinion, the young people were just being very pretentious and judgmental.

Americans’ reactions to German food were not surprising to me. They all liked the German sausage very much and some of them disliked the German drink and candy. I feel the same as them. When I travelled to Germany, I loved the sausages which were meaty and delicious. Some drinks and candy may taste weird at the first time because we are not yet adapted to the new taste. I encountered many weird food, drinks, and snacks while travelling in different countries. Thus, Americans’ reactions to German food were pretty normal from my perspective. 

Ethnography of the Cox Hall Food Court

I. Background

       Strategically located at the center of the Emory campus, Cox Hall Food Court is a popular dining place for Emory students. It opens at 6:30 am and closes at 7:00 pm every day, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. According to its official website, the Cox Hall Food Court is positioned as a place “which offers quick-service dining options”. It consisted of ten food vendors, which are ITP Deli, Freshens, Maru, C3, Green Bean, Twisted Taco, Pasta John’s, Beltline Pizza, Dooley’s Farm, and Char’d House. They together offer diverse dining options for students, staff, and visitors at Emory.

II. Observation

       The first time I went to the Cox Hall Food Court was during a busy lunch time on a weekday. As I entered the food court, I was overwhelmed by its crowdedness. The tables were basically fully occupied, and long lines formed in front of both food counters and check-out counters. In order to avoid the waiting, I chose a box of pre-made sushi roll and a bowl of cold pasta from the refrigerator and checked out.

As I looked around to find an available table, I noticed that most tables at the Cox Hall Food Court had four or six seats. About one-third of the tables were located by the glass. The remaining two-third of the tables were situated near the check-out counters and food vendors. My friend and I sit down at a table by the glass which was lighted by natural sunlight.

I tasted the pasta first. It was very cold, and the pasta was a little too hard. The sauce of the pasta was kind of weird to me, and I did not finish it. The sushi roll was not bad. Again, the rice was very cold and hard, but acceptable. The sashimi inside was fresh and the portion was not too small. Overall, I did not really enjoy my first meal at the Cox Hall and I was still a little hungry after spending ten dollars on my food.

My comprehensive impression of the Cox Hall Food Court was crowded and the food was so-so. It deserved a score of six point five out of ten in my opinion.

III. Interview

       In order to make a better evaluation of the Cox Hall Food Court, I also interviewed two of my friends, Steven and Elaine, regarding their experience of eating at Cox. Elaine eats at Cox Hall approximately once a week. Steven is a less frequent eater at Cox, eating there about twice a month. Their first impressions of the Cox Hall Food Court were both crowded during lunch, but Elaine added that “during dinner time, the line was much shorter”. Steven did not like the food at Cox Hall except the sushi, and he concluded that “the food was not great but a good change of taste”. Steven gave an overall score of six out of ten for the Cox Hall Food Court. Elaine, on the other side, liked the food at Cox Hall, especially the tacos. “It is better than the DUC.” Said Elaine. She was happy with the wide range of choices that Cox Hall offered. After all, she gave a score of seven out of ten for Cox Hall.

IV. Conclusion

       In conclusion, the Cox Hall Food Court offers diverse options of food for everyone on campus. It can get really crowded during the lunch time and the waiting line can be very long. Thus, it is not a good choice if you are in a rush. The quality of the food is not superb, but it is a good choice if you are tired of the DUC.

Sources Cited:

Housing & Dining, http://www.emory.edu/home/life/housing-dining.html

Cox, http://emoryatlanta.cafebonappetit.com/cafe/cox/

In-class Writing  9/23

Dishes:

1. vegetable lo mein

2. coke-cola chicken wings

3. steak

4. miso black cod

Ingredients:

1. snow beans

2. broccoli

3. egg noodles

4. oyster sauce

5. frozen chicken wings

6. 2 bottles of coke

7. rib-eye steak

8. frozen black cod

9. miso sauce

10. soy sauce

11. garlic

12. green onion

estimated price: $250~300

Process:

I would go to the supermarket first to gather all the ingredients. Then, I would go back home and wash the vegetables and let the frozen food to thaw. After that, I would cook the vegetable lo mein first, and then the chicken wings and steak simultaneously. I would cook the chicken wings with a wok, and the steak with a pan. Lastly, I will cook the miso black cod with a pan since seafood needs to be served hot.

There is not a specific theme for the meal. The dishes I picked are those which I am able to make, and I actually made during my trip to UK with my friends. I consider it a combination of Asian and Western food since the ingredients I use are common in American supermarket, but the way I cook it and the sauce I use are typically oriental. I think I will cook this in a friend's house, and I think it will approximately take me an hour and half to finish all four dishes.

Blog Post for 9/23

To me, sustainability is the capability to protect the environment, limit unnecessary waste, and benefit the next generation. Sustainability is important in modern world as resources are limited while population continues to increase rapidly. Sustainability is not something unreachable, people can all be sustainable in different ways. For most people, one easy way to live sustainably is to buy and eat locally. To buy locally means to purchase local food and fruits to support local farmers. It is environment-friendly as it reduces the use of vehicles for transportation. Buying locally may sometimes costs more, but as compensation, we get fresher food and contribute to the economy of the region we live in. To me, in additionally, eating locally is a joy. In Guangdong, China, different rural areas have different signature dishes. Thus, eating locally in different places is a great adventure, and I usually encounter delicious food unexpectedly in different local restaurants.

Blog Post for September 19th

Comparing Evidence used in articles "Here's Why Salads Feel Feminine and Nachos Seem Manly" and "India's War On Biryani Mixes Caste, Religion, Cow-Avenging Vigilantes"

The articles use different types of evidence. The evidence in the salad article are mostly secondary since the writer is describing and interpreting other's study. For example, he writes "The results showed, unsurprisingly, that there was a significant tie to food and gender perception. People were more likely to see the unhealthier options as masculine and the healthier options as more feminine", and this is a summarization of other’s study result. The evidence in the Indian food article are mostly primary as they are cited mainly from interviews. For example, the writer cites “But in the last 20 years there are little shacks selling biryani everywhere. The quality is not good, but it's convenient, a meal in a box.” from Amin, a restaurant owner. Besides the difference in type, the source of evidence used in these two articles is also different. The writer of the salad article uses sources from scientific study to support his claim while the writer of the Indian food article cites interviews as evidence.

Blog Post
September 13th

From my perspective, food has a really close connection to religion and tradition. Different religions have different food restrictions as well as traditions.

My parents and I basically do not have any religious affiliation, but every year, as a tradition, on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar we will go to the temple as many other Chinese families. Following our visit to the temple, we will always have vegetarian meals on that day. When I was young, I did not know the reason. I asked my mom one time, and she told me that is because in Chinese Buddhism gods are believed to be born on the first day of the lunar calendar. Therefore, as a form of respect, people avoid killing animals and eat vegetarian meals on that day. To nowadays, though many Chinese people do not have a strong affiliation to Buddhism, this custom remains as a tradition.

Not only Buddhism has dietary restrictions, many other religions also do. When I was in high school, I learned from some Jewish students that there is a fasting day every year. In addition, in Jewish culture, there are many limitations on food and the ways that it is prepared.

To sum up, food is not simply what we eat every day. It contains cultural heritage and has important meaning to different groups of people.

Revised Version of Blog Post on September 9th

     For a typical Cantonese family, going to teahouse[1] on the weekend for dim sum is like going to church for a western family. Dim sum, the quintessence of culinary intelligence, is an indispensable element for Cantonese. If you have been to a dim sum place in America, you may notice that there are dozens of different types of dim sum, ranging from salty to sweet, from meat to vegetable, from warm to cold, and from big portion to delicate small plate. Among all these diverse and exquisite culinary delicacies, “Har Gow” (also called xiajiao or shrimp dumpling) is my favorite.

     Har Gow is usually considered as the most representative one in Cantonese dim sum. It always appears as the first item on a dim sum menu. Based on my experience, the quality of the Har Gow is highly correlated with the overall culinary level of a restaurant. Restaurants that can produce good Har Gow usually also offer other types of tasteful dim sum and dishes. Restaurants that are bad at producing Har Gow hardly cook anything well.

So what is Har Gow exactly? According to the online ChinaDictionary, Har Gow is a popular Han traditional snack in Guangdong Province made from wheat starch. Typical traditional shrimp dumplings are half-moon in shape, translucent, stuffed with shrimps, meat, bamboo shoots and tastes delicious.[1] Now, after knowing the definition of Har Gow, you may ask what a good Har Gow is like. In my opinion, a good Har Gow should fulfill the following criterions:

1.       have thin, soft, and translucent skin

2.       the skin should be as thin as possible, but not to the extent which it can be easily ruptured by chopsticks (the translucence of the skin allows Har Gow to have a reddish appearance as we can kind of see the shrimp inside)

3.       the shrimp must be very fresh

4.       other ingredients must be seasonal

5.       taste fresh, juicy, and full-bodied

     Comparing to its complicated composition, eating Har Gow is extremely simple. Some people like to dip it in soy sauce while others prefer sweet chili sauce. For me, I like it plain, so that I can have a real taste of it, slowly chew it in my mouth, and peacefully enjoy the sense of pleasure this delicacy offers me.

     I don't know why, but dim sum certainly has some kind of spiritual value in my mind. While living in Guangzhou, a week without going to the teahouse for dim sum is incomplete for me. Dim sum, especially Har Gow, gives me a sense of belonging and peace which has some kind of magic power that can sweep away all my anxiety and unpleasantness.

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[1] "Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow)." ChinaDictionary. N.p., 04 Mar. 2015. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://chinadictionary.net/shrimp-dumplings-har-gow/>.

Blog Post 9/12

Summary of Joseph’s Article 

In her article “Feeding an Identity – Gender, Food, and Survival”, Norma Joseph argues that there is a strong connection between food and community as well as religion. She also indicates that gender plays an important role in the realm of food.

According to Joseph, patterns of food shows cultural identity, religious restriction and rituals, and connection between generations. Food is a way for a group of people to preserve their ethical or national identity and tradition. It allows people embrace the past while living in present.

In the realm of religion, food elaborately prepared for rituals or feasts is sacred. Food has the magic power to strengthen community as well as diminish differences. In Jewish culture, food is an indispensable element of its heritage.

Food is also closely related to women’s gender identity. Women play a significant role in preparing food and serving it. Food production is a domain of women’s control, and it is women who render food its power.

The understanding of food and its relationship with community, culture, religion, and gender has changed in history. At first, food was looked as an artifact rather than a treasure of human civilization. However, later researches on food testify food’s connection with social activities, such as immigration, religious practice, and modernization. Women’s role in food production and their status in society also gain more attention in recent studies, and has been recognized.

Food is not only our basic living requirement, it also has supreme value in society, community, religion, and gender identity.

*Revised Version

Simple Dishes

Food not only possesses soul, but also can arouse the soul.

At the age of fifteen, I left my home country, and travelled across the Pacific Ocean to the United States as an international student. At that time, the young, curious, and excited me was looking forward to experiencing the exotic culture and everything there. My transition to the new environment was quite smooth. I gradually adapted to and felt comfortable in the new school, the English-speaking environment, and the people around me. However, there was one thing I could never adapt to, even to this day, and that is the food.

When in China, I, as well as many of my peers, would always became so excited when the bell marking the end of morning classes would ring. We would rush to the canteen, queue up at the food counters which we like, and then, sit together to enjoy the food and brief recess between classes. To me, that was a highlight of my day. Eating what I liked made me feel satisfied and pleasant.

Nevertheless, while in American high school, my perception of having meals changed. Meals became much less important to me. Walking to the cafeteria, choosing whatever I like, then sitting with friends to have lunch and dinner seemed to be a daily routine rather than something exciting as before. I ruminated, but couldn’t find the reason for my loss of passion. Certainly, it was not about the quality of the food served in the cafeteria, as I genuinely liked the cheeseburger supplied every day and the lamp chop provided occasionally, and there were also some other foods that I preferred. However, a sense of incompleteness would always emerge when I was eating the American food, and what exactly was lacking did not appear to be obvious.

Later, I found out the answer to the question at the night of mid-autumn festival, a traditional Chinese holiday. Since my school was located in a rural area and there was no Chinese restaurant within walkable distance, my friend Tingwei and I decided to cook ourselves a home-style dinner for celebrating the festival. Deciding on what to cook was not an easy task. Neither Tingwei and I had much culinary experience. Therefore, after a round of brainstorming and process of elimination, we made a safe choice on food to be cooked: lo mein and fried egg with luncheon meat. Both are fairly easy to prepare. The first dish requires us to boil the noodles thoroughly and then mix them with moderate amount of sesame oil, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. The second dish requires us to simply cook the luncheon meat on a pan and pour egg mixture on top of it. I took responsibility for preparing the lo mein as that is a typical Cantonese breakfast dish and I had abundant experience on controlling the amount of each sauce. Tingwei, simultaneously, carefully mixed the luncheon meat with the egg on the pan.

The dinner was ready after thirty minutes of endeavor. The two dishes were extremely simple, so simple that most families in China even refuse to regard them as qualified components of a regular family meal. However, to us, eating this simplest but most authentic self-made Chinese food make us satisfied. It was indeed an unforgettable meal for Tingwei and I. The food was not complicated at all, and the quality was not superior, but it was the taste of home.

Blog Post

September 9, 2016

For a typical Cantonese family, going to teahouse[1] on weekend for dim sum is like going to church for a western family. Dim sum, the quintessence of culinary intelligence, is an indispensable element for Cantonese. If you have been to a dim sum place in America, you may notice that there are dozens of different types of dim sum, ranging from salty to sweet, from meat to vegetable, from warm to cold, and from big portion to delicate small plate. Among all these diverse and exquisite culinary delicacies, “Har Gow” (also called xiajiao or shrimp dumpling) is my favorite.

Har Gow is usually considered as the most representative one in Cantonese dim sum. It always appear as the first item on a dim sum menu. Based on my experience, the quality of the Har Gow is highly correlated with the overall culinary level of a restaurant. Restaurants that can produce extraordinary Har Gow usually also offer other types of amazing dim sum and dishes. Restaurants that are bad at producing Har Gow hardly cook anything well.

So what a good Har Gow should be? First of all, a good Har Gow should have thin, soft, and translucent skin. Although called shrimp dumpling in English, Har Gow is not a deviation of traditional Chinese dumpling, and therefore, its skin is totally different from that of regular dumpling. For Har Gow, the skin should be as thin as possible, but not to the extent which it can be easily damaged by chopsticks. Translucence of the skin allows Har Gow to have a reddish appearance as we can kind of see the shrimp inside. The shrimp in the Har Gow is also very important. For a Har Gow to taste good, the shrimp must be very fresh, minced, and mixed with other seasonal ingredients. The ingredients of Har Gow usually differ by restaurants, and what determines the final quality is the overall mixed taste. An exemplar of Har Gow should taste fresh, juicy, and full-bodied.

Comparing to its complicated culinary procedures, eating Har Gow is extremely simple. Some people like to dip it in soy sauce while others prefer sweet chili sauce. For me, I like it plain, so that I can have a real taste of it, slowly chew it in my mouth, and peacefully enjoy the sense of pleasure this delicacy offers me.

I don't know why, but dim sum certainly has some kind of spiritual value in my mind. While living in Guangzhou, a week without going to teahouse for dim sum is incomplete for me. Dim sum, especially Har Gow, gives me a sense of belonging and peace which has some kind of magic power that can sweep away all my anxiety and unpleasantness.

 http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=245032119&size=l

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[1] A kind of Cantonese restaurant which serves dim sum