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Hungry For Language? Finding Authentic Ethnic Food
by Nathalie Fairbanks
Language is "loaded." It carries so much more than just
words! Even if you can put together correct sentences,
you'll only understand the meaning of certain phrases,
expressions and behaviors in their cultural context.
This makes it especially challenging for you if you're
studying your new language outside of the country where
it's spoken. Without a community around you to experience
how people really live and communicate, it's like learning
to swim without water.
Look for opportunities to find some way of interacting with
"natives." One of them is to figure out how and what they
eat. I'm taking Spanish as an example here, but these
strategies are applicable to any language or culture.
1. Make Spanish-speaking friends and have a meal together
A great deal of interaction and communication happens around
the dinner table. Although it is a vanishing tradition in
many American homes, it's still very much part of family
life in countries around the world.
Make the first step and invite your Spanish friends for a
dinner at your home. There's nothing like a home-cooked
meal! They'll most probably return the invitation. Not only
will you be treated to the food they eat on a regular basis,
but you'll get an intimate experience of what happens
during that meal.
2. Find a Latin restaurant
While finding ethnic food is relatively easy in most places,
finding authentic ethnic food can be an adventure!
I remember walking into an Indian restaurant on the Upper
East Side of Manhattan a few years back. I immediately knew
something was off, as there was no fragrance of cooking and
typical spices. It turned out that the "Indian spice tea"
we got was a regular old tea bag, and the "South Indian
Tomato Soup" was a can of Campbell's soup with some cumin
strewn over it. EEK!
If I hadn't traveled to India and been familiar with Indian
food, how would I have known the difference? How will you
know that you get to taste authentic food?
Many eateries have adjusted their cooking to the tastes of
their host country, which makes perfect business sense. You
can probably guess that a "California Roll" is not
something you'd find on a menu in Japan, and what
passes for "Black Forest Cake" here in the U.S. is at best
an insult to German taste buds.
What to do?
Ask a local native.
We were in Ridgecrest, California with my husband for the
first time last year. Instead of picking a random place to
eat, he did something that I wouldn't have thought of. He
went into a bank, of all places, and walked straight up to
a teller who was closing up her spot. He asked her where her
favorite place to eat was in town. Her eyes lit up and she
eagerly told us where to go. It turned out to be a tiny
hole-in-the-wall Mexican place... and the food was
fantastic!
Bottom line: if you find Chinese people in a Chinese
restaurant, you're probably in the right spot.
3. Enroll in a Spanish cooking class
If finding a good restaurant proves to be too much of a
challenge, learn how to cook a Spanish meal. If you are at
all inclined to cook, this will be a treat. You'll be
introduced to all the ingredients, spices and techniques by
a native, plus the instructor will know where you can buy them!
4. Look up Spanish recipes
Try to cook a few dishes at home. Here are two good
resources for ethnic recipes:
www.recipesource.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/World-Cuisine/Main.aspx
The downside of trying it out yourself is that you'll never
know if the result is close to what you'd eat abroad or if
you just created a "fusion" dish :)
Bon appétit!
© 2008 Nathalie V. Fairbanks
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You may, as long as you include this blurb with it: SpeakEZ Languages publishes "Language Learning Express," a free bi-weekly e-zine for language learners who are eager to discover the secrets of efficient language learning, transition seamlessly into a new culture and have fun on the way. Get your FREE subscription and your FREE e-book now at http://www.SpeakEZLanguages.com.
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