Blog 2 (QEP 1): From what you’ve read for this week, speculate how documenting St Joseph’s altars might play a role in the promotion of a just and humane society? Sunday, Jan 29 2012

By promoting a St. Joseph’s alter in not only our community, but in communities all over the world will not just promote a humane just a just one as well. Since being in freshman seminar this semester, I have learned and developed a rich understanding of what, and why there are these alters.  The St. Joseph’s alter represent gathering, love, togetherness, and hope. This rich tradition was originally started from a drought that triggered a famine in Italy, which left them starving. Their crops would not grow and they had no water. Then one day they prayed to St. Joseph’s and he gave them rain.  Rain to re nurture their stock to end their famine. Once all the food was refurbished there they had a big St. Joseph’s alter which provide food for everyone? Everyone and any one that need or just wanted to eat they could come and eat. They changed its mines mentality too it’s ours. It changed the people in to giving and loving people who cared for each other. Unlike the United State where it is a “dog eat dog world”, where everyone is only for themselves and careless about everyone else. So by promoting St. Joseph’s alter we are uplifting love, togetherness, respect, and hope. These are the most critical attributes that we need in the United States. We need to understand that without love, hope, togetherness and respect we will continue to downfall. Yet, by us celebrating this rich tradition, we will promotion just how a just and humane society should be and look like. Caring, depending, relying, and thing out for the best of everyone not just themselves would be life changing.  St. Joseph’s is the ideal day that I wish was celebrated every day, because then the United States of America would be a just and humane society.

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Blog 1: Describe a memorable food tradition in your family. Remember this is a public blog. Sunday, Jan 29 2012

Blog 1: Describe a memorable food tradition in your family. Remember this is a public blog.

 

            In my family food is one of the only things that will bring us together regardless of our differences. Most of our most memorable experiences that my family has experience have occurred around food. We do not have any food tradition just places that we go to eat which is our tradition. All awhile I was growing up me and my whole family and friends grew up eating at this all you can eat buffet named JJ North’s. This was a buffet that was most famous in Oregon having best food and prices, which made for the perfect gathering place. My grandfather is an old fashion person so to speak. He is accustomed to having a good hot plate right after church and especially on holiday  like Easter, Mothers Day, Father’s Day etc. It got to the point when you never had to ask my grandfather where he wanted to go to eat after church because everyone already knew the answer.

            Since my sister and I use to live with my grandparents for a while, when we were growing up JJ North’s became a part of us as well. After a while of us constantly going to JJ North’s me and my sister started to play in our food and make some creations of our own. One day after church, we went to JJ North’s and my sister got some bright yellow corn, fluffy potatoes, and gravy all in a soup bowl. I looked at her with a deep discuss and confusion and she took a bit. With my anxiousness, I wanted to know what taste is like. Why she did it? Yet after she gave me a bite, I fell in love. Who would have ever thought that mashed potatoes, corn and gray would be such a delicious combinations.  Ever since that day my sister was playing in her food we made it a mandatory dish to get every time went to JJ North’s. As time went on we learned and seen and made many other creations but never anything like mash potatoes, corn, and gravy.  

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From what you’ve read for this week, speculate how documenting St Joseph’s altars might play a role in the promotion of a just and humane society? Saturday, Jan 21 2012

In the article “History of Saint Joseph Altars”, Sandra Scalise Juneau writes about how the Saint Joseph’s alters came about and she describes the significance of each component of the altar. Documenting the St. Joseph’s altars can be connected to the idea of promoting a just and humane society. A just and humane society is referred to as a society that values the importance of everyone living within it, where everyone is treated equally and with care and compassion. St. Joseph was and is still known as a man of peace and love. The Sicilians dedicated their lives to not only caring for their own families, but also to caring for the members that lived in the community. The St. Joseph’s altar was a way that the Sicilians gave thanks to St. Joseph and honored him for his protection and provisions that he granted them during the famine. In today’s society, there is a lack of love and care for our fellow neighbors on both the national and local levels. In our own local New Orleans community, there are news reports every day telling of how someone was murdered or assaulted. The St. Joseph’s altar can be seen as a sign of unity and peace, bringing people together from all walks of life to put together a ceremony dedicated to St. Joseph. Making the cakes, cookies, and food for the altar requires a lot of time, effort, and manual work. It is not an easy task and every effort made by those willing to participate is always appreciated. Members within the community are often welcomed to share in the celebration. On March 19, a day that only comes around once a year, the St. Joseph’s altars are set up and people from within the community are provided with the opportunity to share in communion with each other, giving thanks and honoring St. Joseph.

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My Memorable food tradition Thursday, Jan 19 2012

For decades , in my family we have had what is called “grandma julie’s” stuffing. This was created in the early 1950′s wwhen my great great great grandmother decided to make her own unique type of stuffing. This stuffing included the usual recipe with her own added meat and seasoned bread. This special dish was a special part of are family for many thanksgiving holidays to come. i first tasted this amazing stuffing when i was 6 years old, which marked one of the most memorable moments of food tradition. I enjoyed it so much that all i ate after that was my gramma julies stuffing. She also made her baked beans with meat and bacon. This went very well with barbecued hotdogs whenever we had our family reunions. This food which has been passed down for decades has brought our family together throught the worse and good of times. This goes to show that food can bring together a group of people such a family that share  a liking for the same food. Our ancestors ate the same dish and we do the same to this day. I hope to someday learn the recipe to the stuffing and the bacon and meat baked beans so i can teach my own kids how to make them one day. This tradition will continue to stay alive in my family for future decades to come. Everytime one of us or a family member visits my grandmother’s house in alabama we always ask for a plate of baked beans or some turkey with a side of “grandma julies” stuffing. The taste of it just brings me home. I am in college far away from home but when my mom sends me a plate i always  feel at home when i take that first bite. I hope this tradition lives on for years to come.

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…St Joseph’s altars might play a role in the promotion of a just and humane society? Sunday, Jan 15 2012

The altar of St. Joseph was  based on the tradition of thanksgiving, promise and petition. The St. Joseph’s altar  might play a role in the promotion of a more just and humane society  because St. Joseph was graced with obedience, faithfulness, patience, and justice, with are all amicable qualities. If every human possessed these qualities the world would definitely be a more humane and just society. If every family put as much pride and effort in their everyday lives as the did with preparing the altars the world would be filled with joy. The altars would not only represent Abbondonza but the people in our society would. If everyone participated in the St. Joseph’s altars the “labor of love” would continue to bring families and communities together. Many people pray to St. Joseph for the protection of their husbands, brothers, and sons. In a more just and humane society we would also pray to St. Joseph for the protection of our neighbors and strangers. St. Joseph’s altars are about the blessings of faith, hope, and love. this is what our society should be about.

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Memorable food tradition Sunday, Jan 15 2012

Before my older sister and older cousins went off to college, Fourth of July was a big thing for my family. Now that everyone is grown, everyone suddenly has a life and the tradition of having a big block party has dwindled down to being just a small family gathering where the kids who have now evolved into young adults occasionally stop by the house to get a plate of barbeque and carry on with their lives. A block party consists of food, music, family and the neighbors family. Also people from all over the neighborhood are invited and we would gather on one block and have a nice gathering. we would block off the street to any cars. my family always made the barbeque and our neighbors would also cook or set up tables. every year there was a bounce house for the children. at night we would clear the street and light up our fireworks along the entire block and have a huge firework show. Fourth of July was always the best holiday.

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Memorable Food Tradition Sunday, Jan 15 2012

    In my family we have a lot of food traditions that we hold valuable. There are plenty of young kids in my family so we specifically adore the pastries. Sweet potato pie is one the most renown traditions that we have. In my neighborhood, everyone hopes that my grandmother would make extra pies so that they could have a pie to enjoy. Sweet potato pie became one of my favorite treats to enjoy because they taste so sweet. My family began making sweet potato pie around the time I turned six. Before making pies, my grandmother was a huge pastry baker and her favorite was red velvet cake. Pies became a family favorite after my grandmother made several pies for Christmas one year. The first year she made pies, every single bit of each pie was gone and my family requested for more. Every year my grandmother picks 2 names out of a hat, those two names will be the grand children that will help with the pie process. Ironically every year, the two names are my sister and I. Since I drive, I am able to go the the Giant food store to pick up the groceries that are needed for the pies which are sweet potatoes, ground nutmeg, lemon extract, vanilla extract, sugar, eggs and cinnamon. Also if the pie crust are available I will pick those up but if not my grandmother likes to make home made pie crust from her special recipe. We use a blender to blend together all the ingredients and we cook the pies in the oven on 320 degrees. The pies usually are an all night process and can take up to 1 hour to cook depending on the preference in taste. The family tradition of sweet potato pie will be a tradition that is long valued and it is a tradition that I am sure will hold longevity. 

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That Good Ole Barbeque Friday, Jan 13 2012

The Love family is not your typical American family.  I have moved around my whole life from town to town.  I was originally born in California then my mother, brother, and I moved to Atlanta at the age of two.  That was four years prior to moving to where I was raised, Memphis, Tennessee.  My mother’s side of the family is from Memphis, and my father’s family is from St. Louis, Missouri.  Both Memphis and St. Louis are known for how good their barbeque are, but I am going to tell about a memorable food tradition on my father’s side of the family.  When we moved to Memphis, my brother and I would travel to St. Louis every summer to stay with our father.  The timing to go to St. Louis in the summer was tremendous because the Fourth of July is celebrated in the summer time.  That was just an excuse to have a cookout.  Everyone in the family would come over our house for a good old fashion cookout.  My father was always responsible for cooking and grilling the meat.  I still have not met a person that barbeque tasted better than my fathers.  From the ribs to the turkey legs, everything he would grill was tasteful.  The meat was so tender that the meat would practically fall off the bone.  The ribs were always my favorite.  The ribs made me almost drool from my mouth.  The Love family always knows how to do it big.  When it was night time, we would go to downtown St. Louis to view the fireworks by the river and the infamous Arch.  The thoughts of spending time in St. Louis with my father and brother with all of the barbeque are memories of mine that will never be forgotten and will forever be cherished. 

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Describe a memorable food tradition in your family Friday, Jan 13 2012

A food tradition that has been in my family for several generations is the gumbo, baked macaroni, and sweet potato dishes that my grandmother and mother prepare for Christmas dinner. My grandmother’s gumbo is the favorite part of the meal among my family members. The recipe has been in the family for years and no one else has ever attempted to make it because it would not come out the way that my grandmother makes it. It is something about the way that she cooks it that makes it both delicious and unique. To this day, I have yet to taste a gumbo like my grandmother’s. The main ingredient that is essential to her gumbo is seafood, which includes shrimp, oysters, and crabs. She also adds regular smoked sausage and hot sausage. Since it takes a couple of hours to cook, she usually prepares all of her seasonings and cooks it on Christmas Eve. On Christmas day, she serves up the gumbo over white rice with a dash of filé and a couple of dinner rolls on the side. Along with the gumbo, my mom cooks homemade baked macaroni and sweet potatoes. The macaroni that she bakes consists of noodles, two types of cheeses (cheddar and mozzarella), milk, and butter. She bakes the sweet potatoes in the oven and covers them with marshmallows and walnuts on top. Sometimes she has to kick us out of the kitchen because we often try to sneak a taste before she is ready to serve it. In recent years, I have been in the kitchen with my mom, learning how to cook theses two wonderful dishes. I hope to also one day learn how cook my grandmother’s gumbo so that I could one day continue the tradition with my own family. Every Christmas dinner is memorable and it always has us looking forward to next year’s dinner.

 

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