Love can conquer all- even different taste buds. If you and your partner come from different cultures, you can still meld your culinary together to make a delicious combination.
Couples have a unique challenge when it comes to combining their food from different cultures. As noted in a Huffington Post article last summer, there can be a culture shock. Allia McLeod realized there was a cultural clash with food when she married her wife.
“I think I introduced fish for breakfast, which was kind of like, ‘What?’” Allia McLeod said about first introducing her Jamaican culture to her wife, Alison Carson, who is of English, Irish, and Scottish descent, McLeod note when they married.
Another issue that has come up is in the cultural exchange of food is just not liking the food. As mentioned in an article for Splinter, one African-American man made the mistake of insulting his Brazilian girlfriend’s food.
“Paola has questioned some of the cuisines I ate such as curry goat or ackee and saltfish, but never in a rude way,” said Soares, who then went on to clarify his statement. “Actually, a couple weeks ago Paola mentioned some of our cuisines she doesn’t care for in front of me and my mother (curry goat)".
Sometimes it could be geographical differences
Even if partners are from the same ethnic group, geographical differences can be a problem, too. If you’re from Chicago and love deep-dish pizza, while your partner loves flat New York-style pizza, there can be a food fight. Nip that battle in the bud by alternating between different types of pies when it’s time to make pizza. Compromise can be key to making peace in your kitchen.
Ways to overcome this problem
There are many ways to overcome this problem. One way to overcome the cultural differences. One way to overcome food differences is to try a small amount of the food from your partner’s culture. If your partner eats a food unfamiliar to you, try a piece of the food. Don’t eat a whole goat if you have a Caribbean partner-just eat a piece of goat as a side dish. Just subtly add part of the different food to your diet to please your partner.
Another way to mix different food cultures is to try food fusion. Food fusion is the hottest trend in restaurants. Restaurants like Fat Rice in Chicago mix Chinese and Portuguese food with great success. Mix the two cultures’ food together with a flavorful flourish. If you have a combination of foods that are spicy, mix the two spices together. If the food from one culture is blander, add the stronger spice to the more mild dish. For example, South Asian curry can be added to mild Scandinavian herring to create an interesting fusion of tastes.
When you’re in love and trying to mix foods from different cultures, tact and love are key. Try exciting ways to combine new foods, like blindfolding each other to taste new foods. With sensitivity and an open mind, you and your partner can find ways to have more happiness and more flavor in your life.
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