I’m Hungry in Harlem

Most of my fondest memories are grounded in food. 

The warmest memory I have of my maternal grandmother involves me watching her make her buttered sweet mangú and super lemony lipton’s black tea whenever I was sick. I would sometimes even pretend to be ill in order to see, smell, and taste her gastronomic masterpiece. 

The catalyst for this blog is not yet known. I believe the idea came to me while walking on St. Mark’s Place with my teenage niece on Christmas Day. In conversation with Lauren, I realized that I was able to transfer some of my fondest food memories after her impassioned response to my suggestion to share a small bowl of Poutine. She wanted Poutine over Pizza—smart choice. 

I want to share with all of you my life in food, or my life as it is colored and shaped by memories of taste, smell, and simply delicious goodness. Food should not simply be about nourishment. How many vitamins are in a package of Swedish Fish? Nope, no Omega-3 fatty acids, just plain red, artificial yummy-ness. Food is also not just about what you eat, but also what you drink. The texture, the color, and how drunk it will get you. That is why I choose to think about Food in terms of Sofrito… Sofrito is a mixture of various ingredients: a flavourful foundation.

Sofrito, and other ways to eat and drink will be my travelogue of culinary journeys, critiques, and experiments. 

What have you eaten lately?