Crossroads

Altering an old quote to live by, I prefer to say that we should not judge people by the genre of their food, whatever cuisine they may be into; Asian, Western, European etc. There are different styles, different tastes and an unexplainable freedom in being open-minded in terms of trying out delicacies that you don't normally encounter. One will be missing out if they are too picky in terms of what to eat; except of course if you're allergic to something specific. Based on my own experiences, there is much to learn from different dishes. The preparation alone would offer stories of origin. Plus, it is fascinating to watch the effort and special techniques that locals put into organizing a meal. James Beard said that, "Food is our common ground, a universal experience", and I think he's right. There's food everywhere you go and excitement in tasting a spoonful of somebody else’s culture; like Singapore’s wonderfully messy Chili Crab, Venice’s mixed-fry Fritto Misto, United Kingdom’s funny-named and pleasantly flavored ‘Spotted Duck’. From where I come from, the Philippine’s esteemed dish is Lumpia, which is the local version of spring rolls. It cannot only be found locally but also around the world in Filipino communities, like in street carts located in San Francisco and Los Angeles as well as in Canada. That is the amazing thing about food, it is something you can take wherever you go; a piece of home that can be whipped up and shared with people from different ethnicities, it is a sample to dole out and something to be proud of from back home. Knowing people with the same love for exploring diverse types of food is like building a connection that doesn’t require any provisions. Now the best thing I love about sampling food from a different culture is the feeling I get when knowing somebody over a banquet or just a simple snack. It is not just about good food but also learning through the interactions and stories exchanged that makes a meal remarkable.