Family Cultural Recipe Mini Project

Family Cultural Recipe Mini Project

Research the history and culture behind a favorite family recipe

Introduction

So many family traditions revolve around food. Holidays wouldn't be the same without the food that is prepared. In most cases, they are family favorites that follow the recipes handed down from generation to generation. One way to learn about the history and culture of different people is to look at the foods they eat. For instance, the Jambalaya (made with rice, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables) one family eats at its annual summer picnic, has a very different history and cultural background from the Zuppa di Pesce or Osso Buco that an Italian family mayserve on Christmas Eve. The Potato Latkes a Jewish family eats for Hanukah are very different from the dumplings or Turnip Cake consumed during Chinese New Year.

Students will select a favorite family recipe and interview family members about the cultural and family customs associated with the recipe. In this activity, you will:

§ Select one of your family’s favorite recipes.

§Prepare your family recipe, and bring it to school on an assigned date for a cultural feast

§Research the cultural and family traditions associated with the dish.

§ Create a PowerPoint and include the following:

Power Point needs to be a minimum of 5 slides and include:

1. Title slide with the name of the country and your name.

2. A map of the country and explain where it is located. (This can be used as a title page.)

3. Picture of the flag of the country.

4. The capital, population and size of the country.

5. Any special celebrations or feasts and foods involved, and /or special eating habits or customs.

6. The typical foods of the country—explain what the dishes are if they are unfamiliar to the class. (Do not just list the dish you are making.)

7. Correct spelling and grammar – applies to all areas of the report.

Also include slides on:

o What is the name of the dish?

o Who in your family is famous for this recipe?

o What cultural significance does this recipe have for your family?

o Describe the traditional, cultural, or religious reason behind the food (if any).

o Do you eat this dish on a certain day of the year? Why?

o Has the preparation of this dish changed over time? Why?

o How did geography affect/influence the choice of ingredients?

§Create a recipe card for your family recipe. Include a list of ingredients and directions for preparation. This card will be taped to the foil pan and must be clear and legible.

The Food

§No store bought items.

§No hamburgers or hot dogs.

§No pizza, no plain pasta, no salads.

§Prepare servings enough for 8-10 students in half size foil pans.

§The food celebration will take place during Sociology Class.

§Please bring all foods in half size foil pan containers.

§Please prepare foods that are free of nuts.

§Make a tent card for presentation/informational purposes. Include your name, the name of the dish, and ALL ingredients on the tent card.

§Bring the tent card on your assigned food day.

ALL ITEMS MUST BE PREPARED AHEAD OF TIME AND

Student name: ______

Culture: ______Dish: ______

Total=32 pts / 8 pts / 6 pts / 4 pts / 2 pts
FOOD / The homemade food is notmade from a package or amix and is an authenticfood. / The homemade food isnot made from a packageor a mix and is an authentic food. / The homemade food ismade from a packageor a mix and is not anauthentic food. / The homemade food istotally made from a packageor a mix and is not anauthentic food.
INDEX CARD / Student has all of theingredients for the dish neatly written on an indexcard placed in front oftheir dish on the culturalday. / All of the ingredients are present;presentation is somewhatclear and organized. / Some of the ingredients
are omitted, are notclear or organized / The index card is unorganized and unclear.
Recipe
Complete recipe / *A completed copy of therecipe is available for
the class handout;
*all of the ingredients arelisted, measurements arelisted, and all of the stepsfor cooking are listed inthe proper order. / *A copy of the recipe isavailable for the classhandout;
*One of the following ismissing: ingredients,measurements, steps. / *A copy of the recipe isavailable for the classhandout;
*2 or more of thefollowing are missing:recipe - ingredients,measurements, steps. / *A final copy of the recipewas turned in to teacher and/or there is no copy ofthe recipe available for thehandout.
PowerPoint / PowerPoint clearly demonstrates history and culture of dish along with a detail explanation of importance to student’s family traditions. / PowerPoint shows history and culture of dish along with importance to student’s family traditions. / PowerPoint has some history and culture of dish and some discussion of relevance to student’s family traditions. / PowerPoint very little or no history and culture of dish and little to no discussion of relevance to student’s family traditions.