college writing

Growing up, food was a conversation piece on holidays or family gatherings. I remember hearing people saying “Wow what was that?” or ” I can’t wait to eat that”. Restaurants or food shows were not a true topic of conversation and if we did speak of a restaurant it was hard to picture what the food looked like.

According to Jang,Lee,Jung (2024), nearly half of Americans who visit restaurants consider themselves Foodies. When you hear the term Foodie it is misunderstood and controversial. It is misunderstood because food has gone from a source of nourishment to a source of entertainment”(Collins,2015).

As we look at this generation, it is all over the place,Facebook, Snapchat, television and etc. You turn on television and they have food channels dedicated how to make those inspirational meals or contests on who can make the best wedding cake. You can go on Instagram and type in, Best Italian Restaurant in Rhode Island, and you will not only get the restaurant but also, the pictures of the meals. People have also, set up blogs claiming they are Foodies. They compare restaurants food ambiance and so on. The internet allowed you to find opinions and experiences outside of your immediate social circle (Saxena, 2025).

With this being said, the downfall with all these new ways of experiencing food, was that every meal being served must be at its finest. This becomes hard because even though one person may not like the food presentation, it doesn’t mean someone else won’t. You still need to do the legwork and try for yourself(Saxon,2025).

Food culture has grown and it is ok to do the research through blogs, social media, television and so on but, your taste buds need to taste and savor it for yourself to judge. You don’t want to short change yourself on what could be an amazing food experience of your own.

References

Saxena,Jaya.”The life and death of the American Foodie.” Eater,24 September 2025, https://www.eater.com/food-culture/911138/foodie- history- american-food-culture. Accessed 17 October 2025.

Jang,Jin.,Lee, EunJung.,Jung,Hyosun. “Why are Foodies Active on Social Network Services? An Exploratory Study on Foodies’ Influence on Social Media” Foods,30,October 2024 13(21), https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13213476. Accessed 25 October 2025.

Sara, thank you for allowing me to read your take on the article “The Life and Death of an American Foodie”. Your summary of the article had me look at how we, as Americans, have changed the idea of food being a source of economic status to a sense of leisurely entertainment.

In your first two paragraphs you focused on different comparisons of how we looked at food. The first paragraph, I enjoyed on how you compared the idea of a foodie was just going to the restaurant to how, we use social media to share our experience and allow people to enjoy it with us in the moment. That paragraph made me think of how many times I post a story of where I am and what I am eating. It allowed me to see that I too do this so that my viewers can appreciate the place I am at and maybe go visit.

Your thoughts on this article remained neutral and your ending I believe tied it all in by stating “that the word “foodie” maybe gone but the wonder hasn’t”. I would just elaborate a little bit more on that statement about the wonder of taste and indulging on great food hasn’t and yes, that people do continue to love the idea of food it has just, evolved over the years.

This article looks back on the word “foodie” and how it has become part of everyday American culture. “There maybe different words now, or no words at all, but the story of American food over the past twenty years is one of a speed run of cultural importance”(Saxena,J.(2025).

The articles speaks of how only the wealthy were able to be considered a “foodie” in the early years. Fine dining and French cuisines was the only way you could experience this which, is why the idea of having money was thought of as the only way to obtain the great food and wine.

As time went on, the scope was broadening people in starting to obtain similar ingredients and being able to create great meals at home or using restaurant critiques and interpreting them into food experiences. The loop hole with this way was that you had to live within distance of the restaurant or find ways to access to the ingredients.

“At the turn of the last century, two plate forms developed in food culture that shifted it from an individual identity to a shared one, turning food from culture; food television, and the internet”(Saxena,J. (2025). This allowed people to be able to enjoy watching food being cooked, how they did it and, gave a sense of professionalism to the art behind it.

Food network, Top chef and No Reservations, to name a few, were televised shows that allowed for viewers, although not being able to savor it, to understand what the food would taste like by the verbiage and description of it. Bloggers would post about “gems” or “whole in the wall” restaurants and describe, take pictures through YouTube or other social media, to let viewers/ readers know what they encountered. It allowed for quicker easier access to the knowledge and experience around food.

The downfall with all these new ways of experiencing food, was that every meal being served must be at its finest. It is hard because even though one person may not like the food presentation, it doesn’t mean someone else won’t. The is leads to the why this article ends with stating, “you still need to do the legwork and try for yourself”. It continues to point out that food culture has grown and that it is ok to do the research through blogs, social media, television and so on but, your taste buds need to taste and savor it for yourself to judge.

References

Saxena,Jaya.”The life and death of the American Foodie.” Eater,24 September 2025, https://www.eater.com/food-culture/911138/foodie- history- american-food-culture. Accessed 17 October 2025.

Cooking has been a staple in my family.  Birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas and even Sunday afternoons, we would get together as a family and everyone would bring a homemade dish.  It was something everyone would look forward to, especially me.

I remember walking into my great grandmother’s house and as soon as you passed the entrance door, you could smell something good.  I would always head right into the kitchen and there she was, her gray hair with a red tint , four foot nine self, standing in front of her white stove with her apron on, stirring something. She would turn around and smile and tell us dinner was almost ready.  My mom would head over as would my brother and I and give her a hug and I would offer if I could help with anything.  You could tell she loved when all of the grandchildren and great grandchildren got together by the smile she gave.

My cousin and my brother always got to help with dessert, in which she would wait for us to get there to do.  I was the youngest and had the smaller hands so, I would get the simple chores such as breaking the eggs or pouring something into the mixer.  My cousin and my brother received the more interesting things such as mashing the bananas or actually mixing the ingrediants. I understood because they were bigger than me but I was still jealous.

My great grandmother’s banana bread was her famous recipe that she loved to make for us.  You knew it was going to be a great dinner when you would come around into the kitchen and see the ripened bananas sitting on the counter.  My brother and my cousin would go rushing to the cabinet to get the mixing bowl and measuring cups while I would go grab my stool to stand on so that I could be tall enough to reach the counter top. She would get us our aprons in which we would put on, even me, and wait for our intsructions.  

My mom and aunt would set the table for dinner and then go sit down with the rest of the family in the living room while my brother, cousin and I would wait at the counter as my great grandmother would start telling us what to do.  She would have my brother go to the stove and start melting the butter while my niece would start measuring the dry ingredients.  For me, I waited for my great grandmother to check my cousin’s measurements and then instruct me to pour in the mixing bowl.  She was very serious when she was baking with us.  She never raised her voice but yet, you knew if you were doing something not in accordance with her recipe. She would hover around us at all times, especially when the stove was involved.  My brother and cousin would argue most of the time on who got to mix the ingredients or who was able to pour into the baking dish.  I would never offer because I knew I was too little until one Sunday, she told me I could pour the ingredients.  She grabbed the bowl with me and helped guide my pouring.  I felt so grownup.  We then all took turns adding the brown sugar crumble on top which was the best part of the recipe.

As the banana bread was cooking we all sat down to eat dinner and discuss our lives.  I loved that about our family time.  It was loud but yet, it was togetherness.  When dinner was done, and the dishes were cleared my grandmother would grab the warm banana bread and a carton of vanilla ice cream.  She would cut everyone a piece and add a scoop of ice cream in which, all you would hear is clanging spoons hitting plates as they were eating.

When she passed this past year my cousin, mother and I sat in her bedroom and searched through her things. We could not believe how she had stored some of her recipes and how she would make little notes on the side for things she felt needed to be added or deleted.  We found her banana bread recipe among them and we just looked at each other and smiled.  We knew she was there with us. It was like you could see her standing there with her glasses on and an apron, smiling that we had found them.  This recipe brought our memories of her back to us.  My cousin came up with a great idea of taking all of her recipes and making a book out of them.  My mom and I loved it.  It would allow for her to always be a part of us. I loved her very much and I was lucky to have her for many years and, although I am continuing to learn to cook, I have a great teacher from heaven, rooting me on.

In summary of this article, the author discusses how AI can change how parents can parent their children. It discusses how AI can help plan the birthday party of child’s dream by just using an app such as “Celebrate Ally” or sending messages to your child on snacks with “Lunchbox Notes”,by just going on the site and adding a saying. It continues to go on about robots such as “Snorble” that ease children back to sleep without any interaction from a parent and apps that help create scripts on situations that you may find difficult to navigate through with your child.

As the author goes on, the authors tends to point out the negative of AI intervening with parenting. AI is taking away from those special moments of connection with the child. It lacks emotion in delivery and can cause detachment from the parent to the child. For example, using AI can help a parent in organizing there day to day activities but yet, it can cause that emotional neglect to the child if the parent is focusing only on the tasks on the app and not on the child themselves.

It concludes with the author discussing how “asking for help” is ok and it builds on human connection. The author points out that it allows for networking in which an app cannot do. The author ends it by pointing out that even though AI app “Celebrate Ally”,was not used to help plan the “perfect” party, a memory was created and an emotional connection was there with family and community.

During my revision process I took what Sara had written to me and went back into my rough draft and could see what she meant. She spoke to me about how I needed to elaborate more on the “recipe book” in which I could see what she meant. I only touched upon and didn’t signify on what we found and the idea of what was to come of it.  Like in the Maker’s eye, he spoke about looking at the manuscript with a fresh eye and revisiting a scenario.  I had relooked at that situation and realized I could add more to open up about the recipe book and saw how I had just touched upon it. Also, in the Maker’s eye he spoke about the reader seeing the subject and I loved it when Sara stated she felt like she wanted banana bread after reading my story. To me it felt I did a good job by making the reader be a part of the story to the point of wanting to try a piece. 

 Unfortunately, I did not use AI in my writing. I have heard so much about it but yet, I felt like it would take away from the true feelings that I had in writing this essay. This essay is my own words and thoughts and AI, would probably change words and you would lose the emotional piece that makes the reader connect with me.  I understand it can make you more scholarly in your writing but, is it worth taking the attachment the creator has with their story?

Cooking has been a staple in my family.  Birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas and even Sunday afternoons, we would get together as a family and everyone would bring a homemade dish.  It was something everyone would look forward to, especially me.

I remember walking into my great grandmother’s house and as soon as you passed the entrance door, you could smell something good.  I would always head right into the kitchen and there she was, her four foot nine self, standing in front of her white stove stirring something. She would turn around and smile and tell us dinner was almost ready.  My mom would head over as would my brother and I and give her a hug and I would offer if I could help with anything.  You could tell she loved when all of the grandchildren and great grandchildren got together by the smile she gave.

My cousin and my brother always got to help with dessert, in which she would wait for us to get there to do.  I was the youngest and had the smaller hands so, I would get the simple chores such as breaking the eggs or pouring something into the mixer.  My cousin and my brother received the more interesting things such as mashing the bananas or actually mixing the ingredients. I understood because they were bigger than me but I was still jealous.

My great grandmother’s banana bread was her famous recipe that she loved to make for us.  You knew it was going to be a great dinner when you would come around into the kitchen and see the ripened bananas sitting on the counter.  My brother and my cousin would go rushing to the cabinet to get the mixing bowl and measuring cups while I would go grab my stool to stand on so that I could be tall enough to reach the counter top. She would get us our aprons in which we would put on, even me, and wait for our instructions.  

My mom and aunt would set the table for dinner and then go sit down with the rest of the family in the living room while my brother, cousin and I would wait at the counter as my great grandmother would start telling us what to do.  She would have my brother go to the stove and start melting the butter while my niece would start measuring the dry ingredients.  For me, I waited for my great grandmother to check my cousin’s measurements and then instruct me to pour in the mixing bowl.  She was very serious when she was baking with us.  She never raised her voice but yet, you knew if you were doing something not in accordance with her recipe. She would hover around us at all times, especially when the stove was involved.  My brother and cousin would argue most of the time on who got to mix the ingredients or who was able to pour into the baking dish.  I would never offer because I knew I was too little until one Sunday, she told me I could pour the ingredients.  She grabbed the bowl with me and helped guide my pouring.  I felt so grownup.  We then all took turns adding the brown sugar crumble on top which was the best part of the recipe.

As the banana bread was cooking we all sat down to eat dinner and discuss our lives.  I loved that about our family time.  It was loud but yet, it was togetherness.  When dinner was done, and the dishes were cleared my grandmother would grab the warm banana bread and a carton of vanilla ice cream.  She would cut everyone a piece and add a scoop of ice cream in which, all you would hear is clanging spoons hitting plates as they were eating.

When she passed this past year my cousin, mother and I sat in her bedroom and searched through her things. We could not believe how she had stored some of her recipes and how she would make little notes on the side for things she felt needed to be added or deleted.  We found her banana bread recipe among them and we just looked at each other and smiled.  We knew she was there with us.  This recipe brought our memories of her back to us.  My cousin came up with a great idea of taking all of her recipes and making a book out of them.  My mom and I loved it.  It would allow for her to always be a part of us. I loved her very much and I was lucky to have her for many years and, although I am continuing to learn to cook, I have a great teacher from heaven, rooting me on.

.

Sara,
I thank you for sharing your story: I appreciate the details you put into your essay especially in paragraph two. You allowed me to visualize the importance and work that went into having a lobster festivity. I would think about incorporating the smell of the backyard that way the reader cannot only feel like they are there but smell the lobster cooking.
In the first paragraph, I felt although you had to help your mom, it was still fun and exciting and you didn’t look at it as a chore. The main message I felt in your story was that you miss these special times. It allowed for you and your family to get together in which you looked forward to. In the last few sentences you stated about the laughing and togetherness and that is what led me to believe the feeling of sadness of missing that connection with your family.
Sara, I think you did a great job on your rough draft your order events were clear and could sense the time frame was set when the weather was warm and clear by the way you stated late August and how the tables had been set up outside but, I would elaborate on remembering the hot sun or the no cloud in the sky or maybe sweat coming off your forehead from peeling all the corn. I think it would allow for the reader to fully be there with you on that day.
I again thank you and look forward to continuing to read your final draft. It definitely made me want to try a lobster.

Cooking has been a staple in my family.  Birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas and even Sunday afternoons, we would get together as a family and everyone would bring a homemade dish.  It was something everyone would look forward to, especially me.

I remember walking into my great grandmother’s house and as soon as you passed the entrance door, you could smell something good.  I would always head right into the kitchen and there she was, her four foot nine self, standing in front of her white stove stirring something. She would turn around and smile and tell us dinner was almost ready.  My mom would head over as would my brother and I and give her a hug and I would offer if I could help with anything.  You could tell she loved when all of the grandchildren and great grandchildren got together by the smile she gave.

My cousin and my brother always got to help with dessert, in which she would wait for us to get there to do.  I was the youngest and had the smaller hands so, I would get the simple chores such as breaking the eggs or pouring something into the mixer.  My cousin and my brother received the more interesting things such as mashing the bananas or actually mixing the ingrediants. I understood because they were bigger than me but I was still jealous.

My great grandmother’s banana bread was her famous recipe that she loved to make for us.  You knew it was going to be a great dinner when you would come around into the kitchen and see the ripened bananas sitting on the counter.  My brother and my cousin would go rushing to the cabinet to get the mixing bowl and measuring cups while I would go grab my stool to stand on so that I could be tall enough to reach the counter top. She would get us our aprons in which we would put on, even me, and wait for our intsructions.  

My mom and aunt would set the table for dinner and then go sit down with the rest of the family in the living room while my brother, cousin and I would wait at the counter as my great grandmother would start telling us what to do.  She would have my brother go to the stove and start melting the butter while my niece would start measuring the dry ingredients.  For me, I waited for my great grandmother to check my cousin’s measurements and then instruct me to pour in the mixing bowl.  She was very serious when she was baking with us.  She never raised her voice but yet, you knew if you were doing something not in accordance with her recipe. She would hover around us at all times, especially when the stove was involved.  My brother and cousin would argue most of the time on who got to mix the ingredients or who was able to pour into the baking dish.  I would never offer because I knew I was too little until one Sunday, she told me I could pour the ingredients.  She grabbed the bowl with me and helped guide my pouring.  I felt so grownup.  We then all took turns adding the brown sugar crumble on top which was the best part of the recipe.

As the banana bread was cooking we all sat down to eat dinner and discuss our lives.  I loved that about our family time.  It was loud but yet, it was togetherness.  When dinner was done, and the dishes were cleared my grandmother would grab the warm banana bread and a carton of vanilla ice cream.  She would cut everyone a piece and add a scoop of ice cream in which, all you would hear is clanging spoons hitting plates as they were eating.

When she passed this past year my cousin, mother and I sat in her bedroom and searched through her things. We could not believe how she had stored some of her recipes and how she would make little notes on the side for things she felt needed to be added or deleted.  We found her banana bread recipe among them and we just looked at each other and smiled.  We knew she was there with us.  This recipe brought our memories of her back to us.  My cousin came up with a great idea of taking all of her recipes and making a book out of them.  My mom and I loved it.  It would allow for her to always be a part of us. I loved her very much and I was lucky to have her for many years and, although I am continuing to learn to cook, I have a great teacher from heaven, rooting me on.

This memoir was about a person looking back on their childhood and describing the emotional connection they have with making meatballs as a child. They spoke about how from the moment they would wake up knowing it was “meatball day”, to the preparation and right down the sadness of cleaning up after eating. The author ended their memoir with the implication that the meaning of this memoir was that their mom is no longer here but yet, they continue to recreate their tradition with their own children because it brings back the happy moments they had shared with their mom.

Three specific details in this essay that stuck out for me was when the author spoke about the idea that making meatballs on a Saturday would make their mom not drink too much, which implied that she did not cook often and also she had a drinking problem. Another detail that was specific was how they would enjoy cooking with their mom and the description of her looks and attitude on that day. The author pointed out that  instead of insults when she would have friends over, they were laughing, enjoying music in the background. This implied that the mom was not always kind to them on a daily basis. Another detail about this memoir that stuck out for me was how the author continues with this tradition with their children and although the mom was not always kind, they were happy moments for them and yet, still wished she was around. These details gave way to the universal meaning of allowing the reader to connect with the author on an emotional level and maybe for some on a relatable level.

The reason I chose this memoir was due to the food theme and the emotional connection of food to a family member.  I thought that it would give me insight on how to capture the reader and allow them to understand my reasoning for choosing such a theme. This memoir had me from the first paragraph.  I was able to visualize what the mom looked like, the emotions that the author felt as to how this meant a good day for them and their mom and also, the response as to why it sticks out so heavily in their mind.  After reading this memoir, it gave me a ray of ideas as to how I would go about getting my readers to understand why my cooking with my great grandmother is so important to me. It allowed me to see how just a simple description can paint a visual for the reader or trigger an emotion. Again, I am looking forward to what my memoir will have for a response on a reader, as this memoir had on me.